UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA

COURSE CODE: IOP4863

STUDENT NUMBER: 41947150
UNIQUE NUMBER: 622908

PERSONAL DETAILS
SURNAME: TAUNYANE
NAMES: REFILWE PATIENCE
CONTACT NUMBER: 0764204649
QUESTION 1

QUESTION 1.1 Open system and personnel psychology

An open system is a system which constantly interacts with its environment. In

business, the open systems model focuses on the impact of external factors in an
organization. The rapid pace of the global economy is forcing companies to convert
from a traditional bureaucratic or hierarchical organizational structure to an open system
organizational structure. With the open system, companies can form alliances, produce
products faster and generally compete in the rapidly expanding global economy.
The open systems theory, introduced by Ludwig von Bertalanffy in 1956, thinks of an
organization of people or things as a structure composed of interrelated parts that
interact with and depend on their external environment. The external environment is the
set of human and nonhuman influences that are not part of an organization but which
continually influence it. When you apply the open systems theory to any organization of
people or things, it has a number of benefits.

What are the advantages of the open system theory?

Practical Point of View

The open systems theory offers a practical view of organizations. In stating that the
parts of an organization are interrelated and depend on their external environment, it
gives you two practical pieces of information. First, every member of an organization is
as important as every other member. Second, if it wishes to succeed, an organization
must not ignore its external environment. In the same way that you must give the same
care to the smallest part of your body as you give to the largest part to remain healthy, a
business organization must pay attention to its customers and rivals --- its external
environment --- to remain competitive.

Vital Internal Processes

Through the open systems theory, you can understand the three-stage process that
occurs within a normal organization to ensure that it progresses. First, the parts of an
organization receive input from their external environment. Second, they transform the
input, adding value to them. Third, they pass the outcome of the transformation to the
external environment as a final product. An example is the process of passing raw
materials through each stage before the materials become vehicles useful to customers,
who belong to the external environment.

Helping Abnormal Organizations

Your knowledge of the open systems theory can help you discover what exactly is
wrong with an abnormal organization. An abnormal organization is one that does not
produce the outcomes its external environment expects from it. To discover its problem,
you can examine such an organization's three-stage processes. For instance, suppose
a soap manufacturing company receives as many raw materials as it requires to
produce a given number of soap tablets but continually fails to produce even half that
number. You may immediately suspect a problem with the transformation processes of
the organization (the second stage) and ask yourself, "Are the personnel competent
enough?" You could also examine the external environment of the company, such as
relevant government regulations, and find out how well the company has observed
them.

Prediction
Because you know from the open systems theory that the external environment of an
organization affects it, you can make useful predictions about your organization from the
changes you observe in its external environment. Suppose you are the chief executive
officer of a car manufacturer and notice that your rivals are producing a brand of
inexpensive car that would increase the choices your regular consumers have. You can
predict that your sales would drop unless your staff and management strategically adapt
to this change in the external environment.

Environmental Considerations
Open systems theory stipulates that the functions of a system must coincide with the
environmental conditions. For instance, a modern computer software company benefits
from open systems theory because it takes into account modern cultural changes and
needs, allowing the software company to produce marketable products that influence
and meet those specific needs. Additionally, this includes a level of social awareness,
dictating that customers will choose to do business with a company that observes
certain safety or environmental protocols more often than a company that does not
meet those expectations. The advantage is a corporate design that is more socially
conscious and market focused.
Long-term Considerations
The results of a closed system are not considered significant, even when those
secondary results negatively impact the world. Open systems theory suggests that the
secondary results of your system increase or decrease the continuity of your system.
For instance, if your production plant creates a significant environmental hazard, open
systems theory suggests that you should develop a cleaner waste system that does not
harm the environment, because the long-term buildup of your current system will be
detrimental to your ability to produce in the future.
Personnel Psychology focuses on: job analysis, recruitment, selection, workforce
planning, performance management, training and development and
compensation/reward

Job analysis
Job analysis is described as a deliberate and systematic process of collecting
information about jobs in an organisation. The job-analysis process has three main
outcomes: job descriptions, job specifications and performance standards.
Understanding the main outcomes of a job-analysis process helps us understand why it
forms the basis of any employment and workforce planning process.

Criteria
Criteria are essential in making personnel decisions. However, our criteria should be
reliable and valid to allow us to make sound personnel decisions.

Workforce planning
The key word here is planning. Remember that nobody plans the past. Planning is
future oriented. Organisations that engage in planning tend to do better than those that
do not engage in such exercises.

Recruitment
We should also consider recruitment as a process. As a process, recruitment
encompasses a number of phases: planning, operations and measurement, evaluation
and control.
Selection
Personnel selection is commonly said to be discriminatory in nature. In a way, this is
true because personnel selection must enable us to select the most appropriately
qualified applicants for the job. However, to say personnel or HR selection is
discriminatory is neither to insinuate nor to propose that it amounts to unfair
discrimination.

Training and development

The fundamental reason for training and development is to effect changes in
employees skills, knowledge and attitudes or social behaviour. Study also the South
African national HR standard for learning and development. Generally speaking, training
(learning) and development are planned programmes of organisational performance
improvement.

Performance management
performance management as a continuous process of identifying, measuring and
developing individual and group performance in organisations.

Compensation & Reward

compensation and pay are used to refer to the remuneration provided to employees by
the organisation for services rendered. The term remuneration refers to the total all
inclusive annual cost to a company of employing an incumbent. This cost includes basic
pay or salary, guaranteed benefits and short-term incentives such as an annual bonus
tied to the performance of the company, team and/or individual performance.
Remuneration forms the basis of the total reward system of a company (Coetzee &
Schreuder, 2010). Compensation may be based on the number of skills or
competencies an employee possesses, job evaluation, or labour market pricing.
4 3

QUESTION 1.2 Training and development

Training & development techniques

Information Presentation (IP)
Information Presentations (IP) includes the following : Lectures,Conference methods,
Videos/compact disks, Reading Lists, Correspondence courses,Interactive multimedia,
Intranet and Internet, Systematic observation, Organization development, and
Computer-based training. The main objectives of the information presentation is to
motivate trainees, Illustrate skills clearly, Provide active learning, Provide practice,
Provide feedback, Provide reinforcement, and Facilitates transfer of training
Simulation Methods

Simulation Methods involve

Role-playing - trainees acting out situations, trainees discussing the
solutions, the trainer gives feedback and the feedback & solutions are
discussed.
Case method representative organizational situation are presented on paper, usually
to groups of trainees who would then identify problems, trainee
Would also offer solutions,and individuas would then receive feed back.
Incidental method trainees only receive a sketchy outlines of situation given. trainee
must question trainerand when they have enough informstion the trainees then attempt a
solution, at the end of the session the trainer must reveal missing data,
solutions must be compared.
exercises - combines case study, role-playing, team-coordination,
trainees review individually with groups with trainer.
trainees must construct a complex but easily build physical object, and a
group of trainees must then duplicate it and discuss communication
and gain insight.

On-the-job Training
On the job training involves the following:
this involves classes, mentoring and meetings
workig in organisations prior to employment
-the-job Training doing the work under supervision
-the-job Training similar to on job training but occurs offside
working on all organisations jobs according to the plan
helpful for excutive succession planning
- concentrates on upper level managerial development
continous job effectiveness
measuring training and development out comes
To measure the training and development out comes the following should be looked at:
it is important to look at time immediately before training, during
 5

training, immediately after training, much later after training, and also to 6
remember remember to keep change focus
- Internal versus external, exam scores to ratings, Qualitative
quantitative, attitudinal to accounting.
organization group or team, individual rigor of evolution.
7

QUESTION 2
The HR function in contemporary organisations is concerned with people enabling,
8
people development and a focus on making the employment relationship fulfilling for
both management and employees. HR management (HRM) differs from personnel
management not only in its broader scope but also in the way in which its mission is
defined. HRM goes beyond the administrative tasks of personnel management and
encompasses a broad vision of how management would like the people resources to
contribute to the success of the organisation. HR Management System Standard
emphasises the importance of human resource management as a leadership imperative
and management instrument for monitoring and verifying the effective implementation of
an organisation's HR strategy.

the benefits of standards are useful for the following:

Comparing present performance to standards allows the identification of gaps and the
formulation of plans to close those gaps.

A systematic review of operations in comparison to standards can reveal unidentified

risks.

Adherence to standards is increasingly the floor requirement for tenders and contracts.
In the field of HR and people management, potential employees are attracted to
organisations that have a good reputation for developing people and managing them
well.With regard to the case study the following is important and should be met
STRATEGIC HR MANAGEMENT
Strategic HR Management is a systematic approach to developing and implementing
long-term HRM strategies, policies and plans that enable the organisation to achieve its
objectives.

OBJECTIVES

oposition of the organisation.

risk and compliance policies, practices and procedures which balance the needs
of all stakeholders.
ents for strategic innovation and
sustainable people practices.
-economic environment and provide
proactive people-related business solutions.

IMPLEMENTATION
organisation into HR strategy.

and operational plans.

development of the policies, plans,

practices and procedures.

measured and monitored within the governance framework of the organisation.

stainability of the HR strategy through
planned reviews and integrated reporting.

TALENT MANAGEMENT
Talent Management is the proactive design and implementation of a talent-driven
business strategy directed to attracting, deploying, developing, retaining and optimising
the appropriate talent requirements as identified in the workforce plan.
OBJECTIVES

the future from the Workforce Plan.

s which will:

organisation needs.

the optimal development opportunities for

talent.

management of talent.
t key results areas and indicators.

IMPLEMENTATION

external requirements and realities.

ng on current and future needs.

organisation.

WORK FORCE PLANNING

Workforce planning is the systematic identification and analysis of organisational
workforce needs culminating in a workforce plan to ensure sustainable organisational
capability in pursuit of the achievement of its strategic and operational objectives.

OBJECTIVES

organisation.
to your
industry sector.

pipeline of appropriately qualified staff.

IMPLEMENTATION
Conduct skills gap analysis in conjunction with the development of organisational
objectives.

organisational performance (e.g. outsourcing, joint ventures, co-sourcing,

partnerships).

recruitment and selection, succession planning).

9 10 11
12

QUESTION 3

Executive compensation was remarkably flat from the end of world war ii to the mid 1970s,
even though organisation grew considerably during that time. Compensation paid to CEO
of large publicly traded corporations rose dramaticaly during the 1980 and the 1990s,
stimulating much debate on the determinants of managerial pay. The highest level of
executive was recorded in 2007.The growing interest in executive pay was elicited by the
considerable increase in the total amounts paid to executives after 1990.A crucial trend
which did not affect the public perception of executive pay positively, was growing gap
between executive and general employee pay. The ratio between the top earners and
normal workers increased substantially.

retention,motivation, performance, feedback, and satisfaction and are typically

among the first things potential employees consider when looking for
employment. For employees,compensation is the equivalent not to how they are
paid, but ultimately, to how they are valued.
total rewards systems, containing
non monetary,direct, and indirect elements.
-Monetary Compensation: any benefit an employee receives from an
employer or job that does not involve tangible value.
an be an annual salary
or hourly wage and any performance-based pay that an employee receives.

required public protection programs such as retirement programs, paid leave.

bining many of these compensation alternatives, progressive managers
can create compensation packages that are as individual as the employees who
receive them.

Base Pay: cash wage paid to the employee.

Incentive Pay: a bonus paid when specified performance objectives are met.
Stock Options: a right to buy a piece of the business which may be given to
an employee to reward excellent service.
Bonuses: a gift given occasionally to reward exceptional performance or for
special occasions.

unemployment and disability payments. Other indirect elements are up to the

employer and can offer excellent ways to provide benefits to the employees and
the employer as well. For example, a working mother may take a lower paying
job with flexible hours that allows her to be home when her children get home
from school.

inflation, 3) provide some funds for savings or recreation, and 4) increase over
time . Discussing wage expectations with employees can help determine what
your compensation package should look like.
It is absolutely
vital that businesses maintain internal and external equity. Internal equity refers
to fairness between employees in the same business while external equity refers
to relative wage fairness compared to wages with other businesses.
aluation is another technique that can be used to establish an equitable
wage rate. This method is a more systematic and rational approach to internal
equity where the jobs in an organization are evaluated according to compensable
factors like education, skill, experience, and responsibility.
-based pay is an approach to compensation where the wage rate is based on
the qualifications of the individual doing the job, rather than on the job itself. It is
typically accomplished through skill classes that determine pay levels for jobs.
Grouping employees of similar skills together, regardless of job title, forms these
classes, or grades .
13

QUESTION 4

1. I would give myself 50% on the assignment. I think I performed best on the first
and second question and worst on question 3 reason being lack of information.
2. The information (articles) on the webside were more useful as they are relevant
and recent.
3. I did use articles on the websides in order for my assignment to e relevant.
4. The articles are from a south african perspective and research was done in south
african tertiary institutions
5. they are relevant as they deal with the south african work place.
6.
7. yes as I gained more insight as to what is involved in human resourse field in
particular the focus on the employees.
8. Yes it did
9. yes it did
10. access to the articles in the institution web side
11. the materials used are relevant and easy to understand as they are articulate.
12. Yes it was
13. I have definitely gained more insight and knowledge that I can use in future.

15 14
16
 RESULTS
Q1.A = 6

Q1.B = 0

Q1.C = 3

Q2 = 11

Q3 = 0

Q4 = 5

Percentage = 0

General comments = 0

------------------------------

Total = 25 / 100 (25%)

 COMMENTS
1 COMMENT: Using figure 2 on page 44 in the prescribed book or alternatively on page 30 in Tutorial
Letter 101/2014 the answer would have been structured better. This would have enabled you to take
cognisance of the factors relevant in viewing personnel psychology from a systems perspective,
especially the link between the various phases in the employment process.
2 Q1.A out of 10
3 Q1.B out of 10 - Training and development in context of changing work environment. Skills
development initiatives.
4 COMMENTS: Concerning the South African skills development initiatives and the importance of
employee training and development you could have simply referred to the sections where we discuss
this in the 101 tutorial letter. You could have referred to the guidelines in section 2.1.3.7 in Tutorial
Letter 101, where the South African context and legislation is discussed. Those of you that did your
undergraduate degree with us can refer to chapter 10 in the prescribed book for IOP3706 (Coetzee &
Schreuder, 2010). If you are (or want to become) a specialist in the field, you can also refer to Coetzee
et al., (2013). You could also have included information gained from reputable websites, such as those
we have listed in the tutorial letters. Also consult the web-pages of the Department of Labour and of
course the scientific literature (although the latter doesnt yet really address these issues yet because
of the length of the review cycle). But you can of course also use authoritative financial and business
publications such as The Economist etc. From Cascio and Aguinis (2014) the topics you could address
are covered in chapter 15 especially the introduction from pages 347 to 349 (see the bulleted list on
pages 347- 348).

5 Q 1.C out of 10 - Determination of training needs & development of training objectives - development
of criteria
6 COMMENTS: This is a straightforward question where you only needed to supply us with information
that you extracted from the prescribed book. You only had to present theory to substantiate your view.
Again a figure is worth a thousand words. Use figure 2 on page 352 of your prescribed book to guide
you.
7 Q2 out of 30 - Problems/challenges in this organisation - Systematic approach solution - SA National
HR Standards
8 COMMENTS: This question is very open-ended and tests your proficiency in a number of areas. This
module is a NQF level 8 course and this question is asked, because students need to get a chance to
show a higher level of cognitive and social skills. The other questions asked are marked more
according to standardised guidelines. With this question, you need to show your ability to apply the
case study to relevant theory, which represents your reflective skills. The marker is open to your
interpretation of the question, as long as it is substantiated and/or based on a good theoretical
foundation and experience in Personnel Psychology. The following was mostly discussed by students
and the marks allocated serve only as a guideline. The marker gave you the benefit of the doubt
wherever possible. - People, decisions and systems approach - Criteria concepts, measurement and
evaluation - Performance management - Fairness in employment decisions - Strategic workforce
planning - T&D consideration in design All the problems experienced by the organisation that are
mentioned are awarded one mark each, although these problems are clearly stated in the case study.
You earned marks according to your ability to identify them.
 COMMENTS
9 FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENTS OF SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
In order for any performance management system to be used successfully, it must have the following
nine characteristics (Aguinis, 2009a): 1. Congruence with Strategy: The system should measure and
encourage behaviors that will help achieve organizational goals. 2. Thoroughness: All employees
should be evaluated, all key job-related responsibilities should be measured, and evaluations should
cover performance for the entire time period included in any specific review. 3. Practicality: The system
should be available, plausible, acceptable, and easy to use, and its benefits should outweigh its costs.
4. Meaningfulness: Performance measurement should include only matters under the control of the
employee; appraisals should occur at regular intervals; the system should provide for continuing skill
development of raters and ratees; the results should be used for important HR decisions; and the
implementation of the system should be seen as an important part of everyone's job. 5. Specificity: The
system should provide specific guidance to both raters and ratees about what is expected of them and
also how they can meet these expectations. 6. Discriminability: The system should allow for clear
differentiation between effective and ineffective performance and performers. 7. Reliability and Validity:
Performance scores should be consistent over time and across raters observing the same behaviors
and should not be deficient or contaminated. 8. Inclusiveness: Successful systems allow for the active
participation of raters and ratees, including in the design of the system (Kleingeld, Van Tuijl, & Algera,
2004). This includes allowing ratees to provide their own performance evaluations and to assume an
active role during the appraisal interview, and allowing both raters and ratees an opportunity to provide
input in the design of the system. 9. Fairness and Acceptability: Participants should view the process
and outcomes of the system as being just and equitable.

10 Concerning the second part of the question, where you had to discuss the influence that both
corporate culture (Abu Bakar, Salleh, & Ling, 2008) and national culture (Ohemeng, 2009) have on
performance management, you had to crystallise the key sections from these articles that are
important to you. If you could motivate and integrate this into the context of your answer we gave you
credit. The easiest way to discover what a scientific article is about is to first read the abstract and
then the conclusion or findings. Thereafter you can examine the detail content or the bits of wisdom
you want to use. Remember to always use references and that long quotes such as the ones given
below (as an example of what is important) are frowned upon and in extreme cases considered
plagiarism or copy right infringement. You need to paraphrase the content IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

11 Barriers discussed (6) - Organisational barriers - Political barriers - Interpersonal barriers

12 The self evaluation assesses your achievement of the course outcomes and your use and/or
development of the applied competencies and graduateness skills and abilities mentioned in point 2 of
Tutorial Letter 101/2014. Your answers show that you did not reflect on the assignment.
13 You will have to think about your effort in studying this course. At this level you must surely know that
you will not pass the examination with the mark you achieved. If you do not understand the content of
this course or the assignment questions, please contact the lecturer. I am confident that you will put
much more effort into the next assignment.
14 -50: You do not meet the NQF level 8 standards. There is a poor, confused understanding of the
theory. The content is inadequate, too briefly presented or important issues have been omitted.
15 This assignment is content driven. The main focus is on determining your knowledge and insight of the
theory applicable to this course. In marking the assignment the broader context is also considered,
meaning that when work and personal experiences are provided it is taken into consideration if it
relates to the theory under discussion. Furthermore, the questions are broad in nature, giving each