ACCA paper 1 3 2002 question

Managing PeoplePART 1 MONDAY 9 DECEMBER 2002 QUESTION PAPER Time allowed 3 hours This paper is divided into two sections Section A This question is compulsory and MUST be answered... Sec

Managing People

PART 1

MONDAY 9 DECEMBER 2002

QUESTION PAPER

Time allowed 3 hours

This paper is divided into two sections

Section A This question is compulsory and MUST be

answered

Section A – This ONE question is compulsory and MUST be attempted

a policy applicable to all its stores As part of this, it is challenging all employees, especially managers, to examine their attitudes towards people of a different race, sex and ability

The reasons for introducing the policy are threefold Plainly there is legislation on discrimination which must be complied with if the company is to avoid the risk of legal action against it Also, from a marketing point of view, ‘Food

is Us’ wish to be identified with its customer base by reflecting the racial diversity of the environments in which it operates Most positively, the company wants to develop a workforce which can reflect sufficient diversity not only to avoid risk and to maintain its current market position, but also produce the initiatives which will develop the company

in a successful and sustained manner

During the course of the coming year, all store employees will be expected to attend an awareness-raising training programme This programme is intended to help employees explore their own attitudes and highlight any prejudices that these employees might have

The personnel director, Anne Healey, told shop operatives ‘we want to make all our front line employees who deal closely with the members of the public aware of any subconscious prejudices that they might have.’

‘It is very difficult to quantify the benefits of such specialist training, but it is one of our corporate principles that all people are treated fairly by employees, whether they are customers or work colleagues,’ she added

Initially small groups of employees will attend sessions to raise awareness These sessions, to be held in-store, will take place during time already set aside for staff training and development

The new policy is to be an extension of ‘Food is Us’ current equal opportunities scheme for managers So far more than 1500 managers have attended one day awareness-raising courses over the past 18 months

The same course is to be revised and updated following feedback from previous participants and will also be extended

to include senior executives for the first time

Required:

With reference to the above scenario:

(a) Equal opportunities encompass many features For ‘Food is Us’

(i) What would be the main features of a sex discrimination policy? (10 marks)

(ii) What would be the main characteristics of a race relations policy? (6 marks)

(b) Why should an organisation like ‘Food is Us’ have an equal pay policy? (6 marks)

(c) What are the key points of a disability discrimination policy? (8 marks)

(d) What is the difference between an equal opportunities policy and a managing diversity initiative within an organisation? (10 marks)

(40 marks)

Section B – FOUR questions ONLY to be attempted

Required:

(a) Describe the characteristics of an organisation which uses a ‘Theory Z’ approach. (10 marks)

(b) Are the ideas of ‘Theory Z’ universally applicable? (5 marks)

(15 marks)

staff with that of appointing external candidates

Required:

(a) Define and describe the advantages of internal promotion. (5 marks)

(b) Define and describe the advantages of external recruitment. (5 marks)

(c) Describe three factors that should be taken into account when deciding upon whether to use recruitment consultants. (5 marks)

(15 marks)

Required:

(a) Briefly describe the four stages in the experiential learning cycle (4 marks)

(b) Describe the four learning styles identified by Honey and Mumford and their implications for training programmes (11 marks)

(15 marks)

Required:

(a) What is meant by the term ‘process theory’ of motivation? (5 marks)

(b) What is meant by the ‘equity theory’ of motivation? (5 marks)

(c) Briefly describe the response an individual might have to feelings of negative inequity. (5 marks)

(15 marks)

6 A key part of an accountant’s job is communicating information to others.

Required:

(a) Explain the importance of good communication. (5 marks)

(b) List five possible barriers to good communication. (5 marks)

(c) Describe how these barriers to communication can be overcome (5 marks)

(15 marks)

End of Question Paper