Business Studies · May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Question 4

0450

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MBH is a business organisation in the public sector. It controls 5 hospitals and has 5600 employees including 440 doctors. External recruitment is used when recruiting skilled employees. The Human 4 Resources Director uses ideas from Herzberg’s theory to improve employee motivation. He is worried about communication barriers within MBH. The business has a tall organisational structure and a long chain of command. Most of MBH’s internal communication is by email and phone calls.

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4(a)[2]
Identify two objectives for a business organisation in the public sector. Award 1 mark per objective. Points might include:
Financial or examples e.g. meet targets set by government, improve efficiency/reduce costs
Make product/service affordable to all
Provide a service to everyone
Protect or create jobs in certain areas (social objectives) Other appropriate responses should also be credited. 2 Only award the first two responses given.
4(b)[2]
Define ‘chain of command’. Award 2 marks for a full definition. Award 1 mark for a partial definition. The structure in an organisation which allows instructions to be passed down from senior management to lower levels of management [2]
OR The route through which authority is passed down through an organisation [2]
OR Shows how communication and tasks are passed down the business from the top to the bottom [2]
Partial definition e.g. shows who gives orders [1]
2 Notes
4(c)[4]
Outline two ways MBH can use ideas from Herzberg’s theory to motivate its employees. Award 1 mark for each relevant point. Award 1 mark for each relevant reference to this business. Points might include:
Could give employees more responsibility [k] in the hospital [app]
Offer more interesting work [k] as many are skilled employees [app]
Offer more praise for good work [k]
Give chances for promotion [k] as there is a tall organisational structure [app] Other appropriate responses should also be credited. 4 To use words from the stem as application, the reference must be appropriate (i.e. make sense) in relation to the point being made. The following words are likely to be appropriate for this question:
440 / doctors
(5)
Hospitals / or related words
5600 employees
Public sector
Communication barriers
Phone/email
Long chain of command
Tall organisational structure
Skilled employees Other appropriate examples in context can still be credited. Do not award examples of hygiene factors on their own e.g., Pay, improve working conditions as these are not motivators Notes
4(d)[6]
Explain how MBH might reduce or remove each of the following communication barriers: Award 1 mark for identification of each relevant way (max 2). Award 1 mark for each relevant reference to this business (max 2). Award 1 mark for each relevant explanation (max 2). Points might include: Messages lost:
Ask for feedback [k] to ensure that the message is received [an] by all 5 hospitals [app]
Make sure the medium of communication is suitable/works [k]
Delayering/ flattening the structure [k] because it is a long chain of command [app] Use of jargon:
Use simple language [k] on the phone/email [app] so easy for everyone / receiver to understand [an]
Make sure language is appropriate to the receiver [k] to make sure there is no misunderstanding [an]
Providing opportunities for the receiver to ask questions [k] Other appropriate responses should also be credited. 6 To use words from the stem as application, the reference must be appropriate (i.e. make sense) in relation to the point being made. The following words are likely to be appropriate for this question:
440 / doctors
(5)
Hospitals / or related words
5600 employees
Public sector
Phone/email
Long chain of command
Tall organisational structure
Externally recruited Other appropriate examples in context can still be credited. Notes
4(e)[6]
Do you think an organisation should always use external recruitment when recruiting skilled employees? Justify your answer. Award up to 2 marks for identification of relevant points Award up to 2 marks for relevant development of points. Award 2 marks for a justified decision as to whether an organisation should always use external recruitment when recruiting skilled employees. Points might include: External recruitment:
Bring in new skills / ideas [k] which could help improve productivity / effectiveness / efficiency of business [an]
Can bring in valuable knowledge and experience of competition [k] gaining a competitive edge [an]
Wider choice of applicants [k] increases possibility of finding best person for job [an]
No knowledge of how business works / current operations [k] so might need induction training [an]
Avoids risk of upsetting employees when someone internal is promoted [k]
Higher recruitment costs [k]
More time spent / takes longer to fill vacancy [k]
Required if no suitable candidates in the business [k] Internal recruitment :
Can help motivate other employees [k] which could lead to fewer people leaving / reduce absenteeism [an]
Internal promotion can create another vacancy that then needs to be filled [k] Other appropriate responses should also be credited. 6 This is a general question so there are no marks for application. For evaluation to be awarded justification will usually follow on from relevant analysis of points. Advantages of external recruitment can be disadvantages of internal but do not award the same point twice as mirror answers are not accepted. Notes Justification might include: External recruitment can bring in new skills and ideas [k] helping improve productivity [an]. Whereas using internal recruitment can help motivate other employees [k] which could lead to fewer people leaving [an]. Overall, it depends on the skills within the business because if there are no suitable workers external recruitment would be the only choice. [eval] [eval]

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