Exam (elaborations)
HRM3703 EXAM PACK 2023
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- University Of South Africa
HRM3703 EXAM PACK 2023
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HRM3703 EXAMPACK 2023
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
, Study Unit 1
Database Concepts and Applications in HRIS
1. Briefly describe the evolution of human resource management (including the changing role of the HR professional)
The changing roles:
Strategic business partner – focuses on aligning HR strategies and practices with the overall business strategy
Administrative expert – designs and delivers efficient HR processes, such as training, performance appraisal and
compensation
Employee champion – involved in day-to-day problems managing employee contributions
Change agent – manages change and transformation in the organisation
2. Discuss the impact of computer technology development on the evolution of HRM and HRIS
Impact of technology on HR will save time and HR will be able to focus more on complex aspects and task.
Technology can influence and change HR but it cannot replace people, but rather enhance their capabilities.
When an organisation decides to use an HRIS, it will have to ensure that it takes the organisational politics into
account, for example, when implementing this system.
The role of HR will change and many of the traditional HR administrative tasks will be technology driven
Technology driver automation (IT) and the redesign of work processes help reduce costs and cycle times as well as
improve quality.
IS can help decision makers to make and implement strategic decisions
Technology significantly decreases the time required for administrative tasks
HR can begin to allocate resources to more complex, strategic and transformative activities
3. Describe the three typical types of HR activities
Transactional HR activities: Routine bookkeeping task like changing employee's home address or health care provider.
Changing the work records like personal details, contact details and basic information. Day to day transactions, basic
information, status, contact details, dependants, etc. Note: This information should be correct and up to date!
Traditional HR activities: Basic HR activities focussed on HR programmes like Recruitment, selection, compensation,
training and performance appraisals. payroll, scheduling of training, maintaining personnel files, organisational
structures, etc. Note: Some organisations have made these self-service activities and developed them further to guide
the process of routing transactions and processes. However, these are often more complex and often require some
integration between different programs.
Transformational HR activities: the actions of the organisation to add value to the consumption of the organisational
products and services. Like training programme for employees to improve customer services, which has to be identified
as a strategic goal of the organisation. Increase the strategic importance and visibility of the HR function of the firm.
Strategic HR management, Strategic workforce planning, Performance measurement and rewards, Managerial
development, other activities contributing directly to the success of the organisation
Note: These activities are more complex and managers can benefit the most by having HRIS support to execute them
correctly.
4. Explain the purpose and nature of an HRIS
An HRIS is a computerised system used to acquire, store, retrieve, manipulate and distribute information about the
human resources in an organisation. It includes computer hardware and HRIS software, which still have to be operated
by people. Included in the system are forms, policies, procedures and data.
Primary purpose of HRIS is:
- To provide service in the form of accurate and timely information to the "clients" of the system for strategic, tactical
and operational decision making.
- Avoid litigation like identifying discrimination problems in hiring
- Evaluate programs, policies or practices like effectiveness of training program
- Support daily operations like helping managers monitor the work time and attendance of employees
Page 1 of 60
,5. Discuss the differences between the functionality of types of information systems in an HRIS
6. Describe how the developments in HRIS have led to HRM becoming a strategic business partner
The use of information technology in HR planning and delivery has increase, and result that the way the people in
the organisation look at the nature and role of HR itself change.
HR data and reports become available on employees desktops and the managers interact less with the HR
department.
The HR departments allocate resources to more complex, strategic and transformational activities. These changes
redefined and transformed the role of HRM to complex value added, strategic initiative and interventions.
The HR professionals will need to learn new skills and rethink the way HR department is organized and delivers its
service. With improve job skills the of HR professionals, technology will be seen as HR partner in progress.
While having an advanced, full-fledged system will not automatically make HR strategic business partner, the system
acts as a building block and an effective aid in the process.
How does this position help the HR function become a strategic partner of the organization? The quality personal are
the key to success meaning the company can achieve its strategic goals by the support of human capital. Proper
management of human capital is the core factor for company to reach its strategic goals. Thus, HRIS, of which
primary objective is to maximize the value of an organization’s human capital, can serve as a significant strategic
partner of the organization.
In addition, according to the duties and responsibilities of the HRIS administrator, since the HRIS administer serves as
key systems liaison with other department such as payroll, HRIS administer can also help other department and build
an integrate relationship between HR and other department.
That relationship can provide a very insightful view for HR department and help the company to make and
implement its strategic goals by providing some useful information of employees.
From the position description, identify the traditional, transactional, and transformational HR activities that this
position is involved with.
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, System development life cycle (SDLC)
Planning AnalysisDesignImplementationMaintenance
System development process starts when the organisation considers computerising their HR functions.
Important to document these phase for evaluation and maintenance of system.
Evaluation is critical and the system should be improved as needed.
Quality of the evaluation depends on the documentation of entire process and influence the successful
implementation of the system.
7. Define Six Sigma, the balanced scorecard, the contingency perspective and the fit model of HRM
Six sigma: Structural approach for improving HR processes in business through a step by step model DMAIC that stand
for Define, measure, analyse, improve and control.
Balance scorecard: Measuring strategic organisational performance that gives managers a change to look at their
company from perspective of stakeholders, including external customers, employees and shareholders
Contingency perspective: HR strategies are dependent on business strategies (cost reduction, quality improvement and
innovation and business settings (manufacturing services, services, public sector, and for non profit as well as firm size
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Describe the differences between e-HRM and HRIS (5)
e-HRM
reflects a philosophy for the delivery of HR
it uses information technology, particularly the Web, as the central component of delivering efficient and effective HR
services
Organisations embracing an e-HRM approach don’t simply utilize technology in the support of human resources but
instead see technology as enabling the HR function to be done differently by modifying “information flows, social
interaction patterns, and communication processes”
e-HRM tends to be more focused on how HR functionality is delivered (e.g., e-recruitment and e-training
HRIS
an HRIS comprises the technology and processes underlying this new way of conducting human resource
management.
HRIS can include technologies such as databases, small functional systems focused on a single HR application (e.g.,
performance management), or a large-scale, integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) architecture and Web-
based applications. In today’s environment, it can even be devices such as smartphones and social networking tools
that enable employees to access HR data remotely or to connect with others in the organization
an HRIS is more focused on the systems and technology underlying the design and acquisition of systems supporting
the move to e-HRM
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