1) Organisations are faced with a large and growing number of dual-career couples. Identify and
explain the personal and organisational problems that dual-career couples face.
Conflicting alternatives: Advancing a career often means moving in different
geographical directions, resulting in crisis over whose career is more important.
Reluctance to approach the company: Dual career couples see their employers’ policies
as rigid and are reluctant to discuss their problems with a boss.
Possibility of a no-career couple: as downsizing continues in SA an increasing number of
couples are both retrenched within the same time period or sometimes with the same
company
Family versus work: who take responsibility of kids when both parents have a career?
Who stays at home when kids are sick, who does homework etc.
Lack of experience with conflict resolution: many couples lack the skills necessary to
solve career-family crises.
Baby panic: This problem is inevitable faced by professional couples who postpone
having children in their 20’s for the sake of their careers.
2) Discuss an effective programme that employers can institute to help dual-career couples with
their problems.
An effective programme will contain the following characteristics:
Dual-career audit
Special recruiting techniques
Revisions of transfer policies
Examination of nepotism policies
Assistance for dual-career couples
3) What are the possible causes of employee performance problems and what can employers do
to remedy such problems?
Causes:
Lack of skills
Lack of motivation
Lack of respect for riles
Personal problems
Solution:
, Proper analysis of the cause of the performance problem
Define expectations
4) What are the common rate errors:
Rater Bias- Error that occurs when a rater’s value or prejudice distorts the rating
Stereotyping- Making judgements about a group of people instead of openly identifying
the features of the individual
Halo effect- rating a person high on all items because of performance in one area
Central tendency- occurs when employees are incorrectly rated near the average or
middle of scale
Leniency- given and underserved high performance appraisal rating to an employee
Strictness- being unduly critical of an employees work performance
Recency effect- assigning a rating on the basis of the employees most recent
performance rather than on long-term performance
5) The ten technicians in Thabo’s unit reflect a diverse group of South Africans. Four of them are
Blacks, two are Whites, two are Coloureds, and two are from the Indian group. They all have a
variety of IT-related skills and their combined years in the IT field add up to fifty years work
experience. Identify and discuss the diversity dimensions as reflected in Thabo’s unit.
Primary/internal dimensions- human differences that are inborn & have a major impact
on us (Age, gender, race, physical abilities, ethnicity)
Secondary/external dimensions- can be changed & modified through our lives
(education, income, geographical location, marital status, religion, work experience
Organisational dimension- Issues such as management status, work location,
department, division/unit, work connect etc.
6) How would you describe strategic training and development (T&D)?
A more holistic and forward-looking approach to T&D that should help individuals anticipate
what knowledge and skills will be required to achieve the organisations strategic objectives.
7) Some companies are reluctant to come to grips with the AIDS issue because of the fear and
anxiety it provokes. Discuss the possible economic and morale costs of companies’ failure to
deal with the AIDS issue.
Higher training & recruitment costs can be expected
People will want time off to attend funerals of family members & colleagues
People will require time off to care for sick family members
Productivity will decline because of time off, and employees will be less healthy, which
will have a major impact on the medical schemes, requiring bigger financial
contributions
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