Download BU (Bangalore University) MBA (Master of Business Administration) 4th Semester 2016 July Talent Knowledge Management Question Paper
IV Semester MBA. Degree Examination, July 2016
(CBCS)
MANAGEMENT
4.4.3 : Talent and,Knowledge Management
Time : 3 Hours " Max. Marks : 70
Instruction : Follow the instructions given under each Section.
SECTION ?A
Answer any five of the following, each question carries five marks. (5x5=25)
1'.
2.
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Briefly explain the need for using psychometric tests.
List out various issues in talent management.
What is knowledge creation and capture and what are its advantages to
organization ?
What are the characteristics of talent friendly organizations ?
Explain talent development budget.
Differentiate between tacit and explicit knowledge ?
Explain the measurements of ROT in IT companies.
SECTION ? B
Answer any three of the following, each question carries ten marks. (3x10=30)
8.
9.
10.
11.
De?ne ?Talent Management System?. Discuss benefits and challenges of TMS.
Discuss the best practices in the implementation of talent and knowledge
management in an organization.
Explain the building blocks of talent management system.
Define employee engagement. Explain the significance of employee engagement
in the or anization.
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SECTION ? C
12. Compulsory case study : (15x1=15)
Psychometrics For Talent Management
Whitegoods pic has long been an established retail company selling kitchen
appliances such as fridges, freezers and cookers from a chain of showrooms
spread all over the UK. Over many years they built tip a good reputation based
on their competitive prices and knowledgeable sales staff. Customers liked to
visit their local showroom to discuss their requirements with the staff there.
Once they had placed their orders they knew they could rely on Whitegoods to
deliver and even install their new appliance, if that was needed. In order to give
this level of service, Whitegoods built up a team of talented managers and staff
many of whom had been with the company for years. The company encouraged
promotion from within ? many of the managers started off as junior sales staff
and worked their way up.
Pay and benefits were not much better than at other retailers but the staff discount
was particularly valuable. Staff could get a discount of 30% on anything they
bought, and the discount was also available to family members and friends.
Another benefit much appreciated by the staff was time off to attend classes and
tuition fees for those who wanted to improve their product knowledge.
After many years of successful trading, Whitegoods are currently finding that
their sales are dropping despite the high level of customer service provided. Last
year?s trading figures revealed that Whitegoods pic was in serious financial troubie.
As a result, the chief executive decided it was time to take early retirement and
several senior managers also decided that it was time to either retire or go
elsewhere. A new chief executive was found quite quickly ?- her name was
Jennifer Smith and she had previously been in charge of the kitchen appliances
division of one of the country?s most successful retail chains. The reward package
she demanded was very generous, but the board of Whitegoods decided that the
right CEO could turn the company round and prevent branch closures.
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Jennifer Smith quickly made changes. Firstly, she had the layout of the stores
changed and new work practices introduced to increase efficiency. However,
she did not consult the staff about these changes. Secondiy, she cut the staff
discount from 30% to 15% ? and it was no longer available to their friends and
family. No explanation was given for this. Thirdly, she introduced a profit-sharing
scheme for senior managers which meant that they could earn substantial bonuses
if the company?s trading improved.
The staff working in the shops were furious at the changes, especially since they
had not been consulted. Many felt that they should also have been consulted
about the layout of the stores in which they worked, because they believed that
they had a much better understanding of customers? requirements than anyone
coming from outside the company. The new working practices included a
requirement for staff to clock in and out at the beginning and end of their shifts.
Up till now staff had been trusted by their managers to come in on time and to
work a full shift. In addition, the staff had less ?exibility about which shifts they
worked. Previously, staff had been able to work flexibly by making their own
arrangements with their colleagues to cover shifts. Nowthe store managers had
to insist that staff worked the shifts they were contracted to do ? and staff who
did not work their contracted shifts were disciplined, Staff were particularly upset
about the halving of their staff discount, and that senior managers were going to
be entitled to large bonuses and profit-sharing while shopfloor staff were not was
another source of disappointment. Many shopfloor staff wrote angry letters of
complaint which they sent to head office. However, their letters were not
acknowledged by head office and no one received an answer.
Questions for discussion :
1) What has happened to the psychological contract as far as the staff are
concerned in this case study ?
2) What effect is the situation likely to have on employee engagement ?
3) What advice would you give Jennifer Smith and the senior managers to help
them manage the psychological contracts of their employees more effectively ?
This post was last modified on 28 January 2020