MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

NAME:

ADM NO:

SUBMITTED ON 3RD, APRIL 2020.

CASE STUDY.

When Mr. Masumbuko was posted to Lord Kamivoso Flour mills as a human

resources manager, he was determined to transform the organisation and perhaps

make it among the top performing firms in the country. He had served as deputy

human resources manager for over a decade in a successful organisation and he now

felt he had what it takes to turn around an organisation. When he reported to the

organisation Mr. Masumbuko was greatly concerned with the state of affairs in the

organisation. He noted the following.

i. Buildings were dilapidated.

ii. Employees did not have protective gear and lacked the necessary tools.

iii. Motivation among workers was very low and workers were perpetually

absent.

iv. Resources were misused and often times stolen.

Mr. Masumbuko decided to organize a one week training seminar for all workers

using the above case answer the following questions.

(a) Discuss the key challenges facing Mr. Masumbuko. (5 Marks)

SOLUTION

Like any other organizations, Human Resource managers have to go through a lot of challenges

to make an organization a success. For Mr. Masumbuko he had to adapt in a new environment
for him to come up with some objectives and recommendation to change, nurture, benefit and

make Lord Kamivoso flour mills a success. For any success, one has to go through some

challenges. For Mr. Masumbuko he had challenges in:

(i) Recruitment and selection

For any organization to be a success human resource managers have to recruit

and select individuals who are qualified and skilled in a particular field for a

positive output of an organization for Mr. Masumbuko he had a challenge in

recruiting and selecting individuals qualified and skilled in a particular field in

an organization.

(ii) Emotional and physical stability of employees.

In an organization, Employees should not be overworked, they should be

given days off and leaves to enable the employees re-energize for the best

output of the organization, and they should be motivated to encourage them.

For Mr. Masumbuko he had a challenge to motivate and encourage the

employees since the organization had limited resources.

(iii) Training, Development and compensation

Balancing between training the employees, development of the organization

and compensation of the employees as a whole is a big challenge for Human

Resource managers.

(iv) Performance Appraisal

 Performance Appraisal is very useful tool in every organization which must

be used by every Human Resource manager to motivate his/her employees for

good work done.

(v) Health and Safety of the employees

Mr. Masumbuko found out the employees did not have protective gear and

lacked the necessary tools. This was a major concern for the health and safety

of the employees.

(b) Identify ways of motivating the workers. (10 Marks)

(i) Providing the employees with safety needs

The safety needs include protective gears and necessary tools used for protection.

This motivates the workers which enables them to feel secure within the

organization.

(ii) Job rotation

This will ensure that the employees feel secure and satisfied in their working

environment, by ensuring there is job rotation in the organization provides good

working conditions for both the employees and the organization as a whole. This

can bring profit maximization to the organization

(iii) Creating a friendly working environment

This helps to enable the employers to feel okay with the working environment of

that certain organization

(iv) Acknowledge employees’ achievements

When the employees do great work, it is important to acknowledge their great

work and achievements by rewarding them with a simple token.

 (v) Rewarding employees

This ensures that the employees are motivated to work hard so they may receive

awards as a token of appreciation.

(vi) Encourage creativity

Encouraging the workers to come up with new ideas and creating their own

products.

(vii) Encourage team work

Telling the employees or workers to work with each other to enable profitability

of the organization

(viii) Have a meaningful and worthwhile goal

Setting up the standards to the employees, so they may see what they are working

towards.

(ix) Having a positive communication

Communicate effectively and positively with the employees so they may be

motivated to work towards their goal or the organization goal.

(x) Welcome all ideas

Accept all ideas that are brought to you by the works. This motivates the

employees even more.

(c) Describe some of the aspects that indicate the culture of Lord Kanivoso flour mills

(10 Marks)

Some of the aspects that indicate the culture of Lord Kanivoso flour mills include:

(i) Good leadership

 Lord Kanivoso flour mills is guided by the culture of good leadership which enables

the growth of that certain organization.

(ii) Resources and Economics

The organization contains a lot of resources for its growth and this enables the

economy to be stable.

(iii) Purpose

Lord Kanivoso flour mills has its purpose as an organization. The purpose of the

organization is to produce flour mills to its beneficiaries.

(iv) Community

Lord Kanivoso flour mills is surrounded by the community which has its own norms

and culture.

(v) Effective communication

Another culture used by the Lord Kanivoso flour mills is effective communication

between its employees

(vi) Ownership

The organization ensures every employee feels that he/she is a part of that

organization.

(d) Why do you think employees misuse and steal resources. (5 Marks)

(i) To get revenge on their employers

They misuse or steal resources because they may feel the employer is not doing

the right or good thing to them

(ii) Underpayment
 They receive less wages and this may lead to them stealing and misusing the

organizations resources

(iii) Minimal supervision

The organization has minimal supervision and this leads to employees or workers

stealing the resources.

(iv) Minimal consequences or no consequences when caught

When caught stealing or misusing the organizational resources they may be

punished minimally or no punishment inflicted to them.

(v) Mistreatment

They misuse or steal resources because they may feel the employer is not doing

the right or good thing to them

REFERENCES

Carpenter, M. A., Bauer, T., Erdogan, B., & Short, J. (2009). Principles of management.

Washington, DC: Flat World Knowledge.

Morden, T. (2017). Principles of management. Routledge.

Child, J. (2015). Organization: contemporary principles and practice. John Wiley & Sons.