Human Resource Management: Critical Thinking Paper

This critical thinking paper discusses job characteristics framework, work systems design, job redesign, offshoring, and HR function in small and medium-sized organizations.

Running head: CRITICAL THINKING PAPER
Human Resource Management: Critical Thinking Paper
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1CRITICAL THINKING PAPER
1.
Obtain the job description for your current or most recent job (prepare one yourself if one
does not exist). Redo this description by using the job characteristics framework presented
in Exhibit 6.2. Design a job that would be more interesting, challenging, and enjoyable for
you.
The last company I worked with I was being hired as the call sales executive. It was an
entry-level job for me. While I joined this company, I did not have any idea of company's do's
and don’ts because the company had no handbook. I was into the training that lasted only for
three days. The only concern for the company was that I am continually focused on making a
sale every day. The pressure of making sales and the attrition rate in the company did affect my
morale to work. The experience did help me realize that I won’t ever work with a small business
as there are fewer opportunities but more work pressure.
2.
What are the critical factors to consider in the design of work systems? What particular
role does technology play in the design of work systems?
To me, the most critical design of work systems is a work-life balance. Employees, in
particular, the millennials have their inseparable attachment with the term. They are attracted
towards a good salary package; however, find this difficult to sustain with it if the job offers an
average work-life balance system (Haeger & Lingham, 2014). Technology is constantly evolving
as the way to earn the market competency. However, it must be appropriately integrated with the
management strategies to make it feasible with the company (Voudouris et al., 2012).

2CRITICAL THINKING PAPER
3.
Compare and contrast job enlargement, rotation, and enrichment. How are they similar to
and different from each other?
Quality and quantity define the difference between job enrichment and job enlargement.
Job enrichment exhibits a more vertical expansion whereas job enlargement has the horizontal.
Job enrichment is related to promotions whereas job enlargement is with putting extra work
pressure on existing employees especially during the economic downturn (Parker, 2014).
Job rotation is about shuffling tasks between workers. It may be required in case when
the resource is less or else. It requires an extensive training for workers to help them be
acquainted with the new work (Parker, 2014).
4.
What barriers to change exist in most organizations, and how can they be overcome?
Most organization circulate enough notification on change while there are many others
who do not. Such companies are susceptible to face a lot of pushback from employees. It is due
to many reasons such as job stability.
With planning and communication, the barrier can be mitigated. By being in regular
communication and keeping employees in the loop of the change, such things could be
controlled. It is important to keep their morale high throughout the change process (Kuipers et
al., 2014).
5.
Describe a successful and unsuccessful attempt at job redesign that you have experienced

3CRITICAL THINKING PAPER
or observed. What factors contributed to the success or failure of the change initiative?
How could the unsuccessful attempt have been managed better?
One of the unsuccessful attempts that I could recall is a job redesign experience with
Epluno. The change was implemented in the company without any prior notification to it. I
began losing my motivation to work with all that was happening in the company. I felt being
pushback from the management after when new employees joined the system. I gradually ended
up deciding never to work with small businesses.
6.
Debate how offshoring might impact the U.S. economy. Do you feel that it will cause
domestic organizations to become more competitive in the global marketplace through
increased efficiency and reduced cost or will it simply result in higher unemployment and
an erosion of the consumer segment of our economy?
Offshoring will impact the U.S. economy both on positive and negative notes. On a
negative note, interacting with people from diverse cultures such as in hotel and tourism industry
can be a hindrance to an economic success of the U.S. On a positive note, the level of the
problem could be reduced by strategically hiring those who are bilingual (Wright, 2014).
Definitely, domestic organizations will become more competitive at the international
level with increased efficiency and reduced cost.
7.
How might the HR function be affected by outsourcing decisions in small- and medium-
sized organizations? What roles can and should HR play in such decisions?

4CRITICAL THINKING PAPER
Outsourcing decisions in SMEs organizations will restrict the level of freedom that HRM
used to have in major firms. This is because upper managers, owners, and stakeholders would
keep a watch on how the company performs. There is little room to experiment when the
company is under observation for the performance.
Being the HR of a company, I would concentrate on the appropriate allocation of tasks. I
will also ensure that sufficient guidance and training is provided to address the related queries. I
would also have occasional meetings to gain the insight of the managers and to ensure that roles
are clearer to them, and are communicated appropriately to employees.
8.
As an employee, how would you feel about having your employer monitor your e-mail? As
an employer, why would you choose to monitor employee e-mail? How can employee
morale be maintained when an employer monitors employee e-mail?
I would never want my e-mails to be monitored by my employer as it affects my privacy.
This will also affect my morale.
From the employers' perspective, it is important to be able to know whether a confidential
data is passed to the competing companies.
An employer can maintain morale by communicating the initiative prior to monitoring
the e-mails.

5CRITICAL THINKING PAPER
References
Haeger, D. L., & Lingham, T. (2014). A trend toward Work–Life Fusion: A multi-generational
shift in technology use at work. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 89, 316-
325.
Kuipers, B. S., Higgs, M., Kickert, W., Tummers, L., Grandia, J., & Van der Voet, J. (2014). The
management of change in public organizations: A literature review. Public
administration, 92(1), 1-20.
Parker, S. K. (2014). Beyond motivation: Job and work design for development, health,
ambidexterity, and more. Annual review of psychology, 65, 661-691.
Voudouris, I., Lioukas, S., Iatrelli, M., & Caloghirou, Y. (2012). Effectiveness of technology
investment: Impact of internal technological capability, networking and investment's
strategic importance. Technovation, 32(6), 400-414.
Wright, G. C. (2014). Revisiting the employment impact of offshoring. European Economic
Review, 66, 63-83.