Level 7 Diploma in Business Management (QCF)

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NOUSHAD KK

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KIZHAKKEKARA (H), CHETHALLOOR (PO), KARINKALLATHANI (VIA), PIN: 678 583

PALAKKAD (DIS), KERALA (ST), INDIA

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noushadkmoossa@hotmail.com

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THE B SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL, KOTTAKKAL

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Corporate Strategy, Governance and Ethics in the Global Environment

Leadership, Change and People Performance

Management of Financial Resources and Performance
Research Methods and their Application to Marketing

Assignment title: Why and how Britco and Bridco should turn into HPWO and employer brand

through superior leadership and people management

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am indebted and thankful to many persons including my tutors, friends, parents who contributed
time, energy, ideas, and suggestions for preparing and improving this assignment. I want to thank
particularly my tutors Mr. Faisal P sayd and Mr. Abu Thahir for the guidance to successfully
prepare and improve my assignment. In particular, Mr. Faisal P Sayd who helped me to select the
assignment topic and for preparing total assignment. I also want to thank the B School International
from whom I collected many books, reviews, articles etc. to prepare literature review. Finally, I
want to extend my gratitude to many persons whose names are not mentioned here, for their
support and guidance.

DECLARATION BY AUTHOR
I NOUSHAD KK hereby affirm that this assignment report is prepared by me and has not
submitted by me fully or partially for acquiring any qualifications, title or recognition
before. I promise that this is my original work.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Prevailing literature on leadership, change, and people performance outlines many best practices
and strategies in human resource management, and leadership to ensure business sustainability.
However, majority of the studies are held on developed western countries and big corporations.
But, a different scenario is yet to develop to investigating the practicability of such practices in
SMEs and developing or underdeveloped countries especially about the role of leadership and
value given to people.
The assignment investigates the practicability and benefits of high performance working practices
in an SME, Britco and Bridco (B&B). Additionally, to what extent employer branding helps and
can help in human resource management strategies is also examined. Finally, investigation is made
on current leadership in B&B and Bridco. And. much more effective styles such as
transformational leader and level five leadership is suggested to facilitate high performance and
supportive culture for it.
Finally, the study found many performance gaps in B&B. B&B is semi-professionalized. So, many
improvements are possible in structuring the processes and practices. In particular to the scenario
of HPW, B&B is unaware of it but implement some of the practices individually. So, a congruence
is recommended between HR strategy and business strategy and also between different HR
practices to make it as mutually reinforcing.

CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS........................................................................................................ 2
DECLARATION BY THE AUTHOR......................................................................................3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................4
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................6
METHOD OF INVESTIGATION............................................................................................7
LITERATURE REVIEW..........................................................................................................8
FACTS, FINDINGS, DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS..11
CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................................15
RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................................................................16
REFERENCES .........................................................................................................................19
BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................................................................................................22
APPENDICES...........................................................................................................................23
SELF- EVALUATION..............................................................................................................30

WORDCOUNT- 3842

INTRODUCTION
HRM is perceived as an organizational function just like marketing, finance, and IT. And,
traditionally HR functions are kept standalone practices and off from business strategy. However,
contemporary world witnesses the changing role of HRM as corporation moves into best practices
or sophisticated approaches for the competitive reason. Because, while global economies
transform into service based economies, HR is treated as unique resource acts as the source of
competitive advantage. Global industries are not different in it. So, there is an increasing focus on
how to capitalize HR in achieving strategic plans. Hence, literature on strategic HRM culminated
and getting stronger ever before.
The assignment dissects the practicability of best practices, especially HPW in an SME, Britco
and Bridco (B&B). More specifically, the exploration subject is why should Britco and Bridco
turn into an HPW organization (HPWO) and employer brand through superior leadership and
people performance. According to CIPD (2005), High performance working (HPW) systems are
common in global flagship brands. Additionally, what are the essential practices to facilitate HPW
culture is outlined in the assignment besides the importance of leadership.
Furthermore, Cooper (2005) cites than it is the time for SMEs to embrace global perspective to
revive the global competition. So, while global brands enjoys superior results through HPW
practices, it is rational to check the practicability of such practices in SMEs. If SMEs become
successful in enabling such sophisticated practices, particularly third-world economies can boostup GDP significantly. For B&B, HPW is recommendable for enhancing performance gaps, for
competitive reasons and to make business sustainable by defending market leadership.

METHOD OF INVESTIGATION
The preparation of this assignment report used different ways for data collection. People
performance, leadership and change management are separately investigated using different
methodologies. The study on people performance is done through formal and informal face-face
interviews using high performance measurement questionnaire (index-1) and job satisfaction
survey (index-2) with samples selected from employees at different levels in the hierarchy.
The study on leadership model and orientation is held by face-face interview with M.D using MLQ
questionnaire (index-3) proposed by Bass and Avolio (1991) and T-P questionnaire (index-4)
proposed by Mullins (2007). Again, studies on change management (HPW and MLQ
questionnaires are used) and employer branding is assessed with the data collected from the M.D.
Informal feedbacks on employee value proposition working with B&B is assessed using job
satisfaction survey (index-2) and this were helpful in collecting information about employer brand.
However, it was difficult to conduct an open survey with employees and I couldnt talk much with
employees due to their work pressure. And, being an SME, many of the information are not
publicized.

LITERATURE REVIEW:
The amorphous global economy and competitive arenas creates business sustainability as a
ceaseless challenge for corporate executives. But, what makes a business sustainable? Writers such
as Johnson et al (2008; 2005), Lynch (2003), and Thompson and Martin (5th edition) etc. outlined
the need to have unique resource to revive and sustain in global competition and gnawing changes.
An organisations Human Resource (HR) is identified as a matchless source of sustainable
competitive advantage in prevailing hyper-competitive arena (Pfeffer, 1994; and Wright et al
1994). However, do traditional HRM capitalize the matchless resource through hoarding it isolated
from the business strategy? Obviously no! Indeed, organisations started to recognize the increasing
pressure on HRM to showcase its value in business outcome through bundling HR with business
strategy (SHRM).
SHRM culminated from the work of Ulrich (1991) and the concept of RBV. Greers (1995) four
types of linkages; administrative linkage, one-way linkage, two-way linkage, and integrative
linkage demonstrates how SHRM works (Aston, 2008). So, which linkage is good to capitalize
HR to create sustainable superior performance? What practices are available for it?
Becker and Huselid (1998) asserts that High Performance Working (HPW) systems are studied
within the literature of SHRM as a means to optimally orchestrate HR towards realizing business
strategy and maximizing organizational performance. By definition, HPW is an integrated and
bundled set of HR practices and HR strategies destined to create superior performance from
workforce (CIDP, 2005). However, HPW is not new. But either unrealized by organisations
(Ramsey et al, 2000). After-all, why should organisations go for HPW?
According to CIPD (2005), HPW brings two main benefits; first, HPW creates sustained
performance improvements. Second, creates better workplace and job satisfaction. If these two
benefits work together, organisations can yield sustained competitive innovation and financial
performance. Ashton and Sung (2002) evidence for the strong link between HPW and financial
performance. Additionally, Studies of Huselid (1995), and Guthrie (2001) showed that HPW
resulted in increased organizational performance, retention rate and greater productivity. But, what
is required for the successful implementation of HPW?

Leadership and change management are central to the implementation or to continue HPW systems
as it impacts on individual employee behaviour, organizational culture, processes, and HR
practices (CIPD, 2005). Pfeffer (1994) identified seven practices of successful organisations such
as employment security, selective hiring, self-manages teams, high and contingent compensation,
extensive training, reduced status differences, and extensive sharing of information. These
practices could be used to create HPW.
Selective hiring must ensure that top talents with right attitude such as flexible, self-motivating,
involved and committed, enthusiastic to learning and transformational changes, willing to take
discretionary behaviour etc. are attracted (CIPD, 2005; Boxall and Purcell, 2011). Recruiting the
right talent can prevent negative dysfunctional behavior (Armstrong, 2008). However, how
organisations can retain top talents especially when HPW is highly stressful?
Mercer and CIPD (2010) shows that linking total reward with employer brand can help attracting,
retaining, and motivating employees. Because, the total reward approach satisfies diverse
expectations of employees. Additionally, employer brand is influential in making employees
satisfied in working with the brand (CIPD, 2012). If these creates job satisfaction, then it is the
key to create an engaged and committed workforce that qualifies the requirement to enable HPW.
Additionally, employees needs to be highly-engaged and committed to be above-average
performers (Armstrong and Baron, 2002). Walton (1985) advocates high-commitment as the
retention strategy. However, Bauer, (2004) shows negative correlation between HPW and job
satisfaction. Above-all Pfeffer (1994) adds that employment security as the cornerstone of HPW.
Furthermore, decentralization and line devolvement of HR functions are main themes of successful
HPW Organizations (HPWO) (Aston, 2008). So, the leadership must create a supportive culture
to HPW. At the inception, leadership is important to tie HPW with business strategy. Nevertheless,
once HPW is implemented, leadership has to go beyond few individuals and be visible everywhere
in the organisation (CIPD, 2005). Obviously, this will trigger discretionary behaviour innovation,
cooperation, and problem-solving anytime anywhere.
Leadership literature subsume approaches such as trait, behavioral, contingency and situational
theories, transaction and transformational theories, charismatic, visionary, and team-based
leadership (Mullins, 2007; Luthans, 2008, Robbins et al, 2009). But, attributes of transformational

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leadership are central to HPWS. According to Bass (2010) and Luthans (2008), transformational
leadership is inspiring, intellectually stimulating and individually considering through the leaders
charisma and goes beyond self-actualization. More importantly, they distribute leadership across
the organisation to create discretionary behaviour, high-involvement and high-commitment.
Additionally, transformational leadership satisfies the change leadership skills proposed by Potter
(2001).
If organisations continuously re-align themselves with changing environment, they are learning
organisations and accept the reality of emergent change (Burnes, 2010; Scholes, 2008). Leadership
plays cardinal role in managing such emergent change (Burns, 2010). Being HPWO are learning
organisations with distributive leadership, managing change may be cakewalk (CIPD, 2005).
Furthermore, change can be planned or emergent based on the source of triggers for change
(Robbins, 2007). Mullins (2007) cites that leaders have to choose change strategies to overcome
resistance to enable change. Burnes (2010) discuss change management strategies in both planned
and emergent approach. Lewins three step model, Bullock and Battens four-phase model, and
Organizational Development (OD) are the strategies for implementing planned change (Burns
2010, and Robbins, 2007). Since these tools are less effective in managing emergent change,
Pettigrew and Whipp (1993); five central forces for managing change, Kanter et al (1992); ten
commandments for executing change, Kotter (1996); eight steps to successful change,
organizational learning are considered to be effective in managing emergent strategic changes
(Burnes, 2010; Robbins, 2007).
Finally, different HPWP bundles are effective for different sectors. But, linking HPWPs with
business outcome, reward and commitment bundle seems more effective in retention, motivation,
and performance (CIPD, 2005). So, HPWS is costly!
Additionally, organisations need to create supportive culture, leadership, and change management.
But, since studies on HPW held in Europe and US, the cultural difference questions the
practicability in third world countries compared to west. Finally, some studies affirmed job
dissatisfaction and high-stress associated with HPWPs.

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FACTS, FINDINGS, DISCUSSIONS, AND ANALYSIS

Britco and Bridco (B&B) is mobile phone technology institute founded by Mr. Hamza and Mr.
Mohammed Ali in 2000. The company headquartered in Kottakkal, Kerala (southern part of India).
B&B remained consistent in growth potential for the last 13 years under the leadership of Mr.
Mohammed Ali. B&B is well established in across India and Overseas. Now, the leaders quest for
developing their presence in all main cities of India and overseas. Currently, the company face less
fierce competition. But, it need not be the future scenario. So, being a service organization, they
got opportunities to create competitive advantage through differentiating service. So, the following
analysis examines the potential of B&B to turn into an HPWO and employer brand through
superior leadership.
The Employee Resourcing (ER) in B&B is based on the attitude first, and competence second.
Obviously, this is common in HPWOs. However, B&B is not going for extensive recruitment and
selection methods to find out appropriate attitudes such as self-motivation, dedication, flexibility,
willingness to change etc. Additionally, I am doubtful about the competency of B&B in cultivating
high performing workforce with attitude only. Because, employees need right attitude and
competences to be above-average performance. But, B&B miss the necessity of competence.
Additionally, feedback from a group of technicians and faculties mentioned that they are
dissatisfied with current system and not leaving just because of the bond. So, do B&B have a
selective hiring system that support high performance?
Furthermore, B&B is not moved into self-managed learning from training to create a culture
that facilitate discretionary behavior, risk taking, innovation etc. in the workforce to showcase
above-average performance. This learning culture is the cornerstone of HPW culture. However,
B&B offer on-the job training properly linked only with the job requirement and there are no
evidence for extensive multi-skill training to reinforce behavior and competences of employees
required for High performance. This is dreck while employees need to be given higher-level skill
development programs such as MDP to be above-average performers.
HPWP survey (index-1) affirms that, reward never motivates to stay and perform for 90% of both
technicians and faculties. They stay just because of the bond. But, feedback from senior-level
employees revealed that family-friendly policies, work-life balance, non-pay benefits, and top
management communication, care, and recognition are the reasons for staying in B&B. However,

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competitive pay is the most important and expected but absent form of reward in B&B to stay
and perform. In sum, B&Bs rewarding systems are not clearly focused on the key deliverables
drawn from their business strategy and not creatively responding to the needs of both employees
and B&B. More importantly, reward strategies are not harmonized and bundled to mutually
reinforce each other. Finally, there are no evidence of total rewarding in B&B.
Then, B&B has a formal performance appraisal system linked to retention and rewarding
decisions. This is done frequently. However, the question is whether it is linked it with
performance management. According to my findings, there are no evidence for a linkage between
performance appraisal and business strategy and this is crucial when identifying training needs and
performance improvements. Additionally, B&Bs appraisal and performance management
systems are reactive and seems less effective to support a high-performing culture.
Additionally, HPWPs survey (index-1) affirms that B&B dont have a formal and pro-active
performance management system that make a continuous improvement culture in individual level
and organizational level. There is no self- managed teams, quality circles, Kaizen etc. I feels that
B&B is yet to realize or recognize that all employees are expected to add some value in achieving
business outcome. Making flexible job design will be effective.
B&B is trying to implement commitment and engagement practices in management level and
service level. Majority of senior-level employees have positive discretionary behaviour, they share
the values and big idea of the organisation. Although, I couldnt see employees going extra-mile
and beyond their job description. In fact, majority of the service staffs are not understanding the
big idea of B&B and not taking positive discretionary behaviour. One important reason may be,
service staffs are working on bond for three years. Additionally, B&B is not employing effective
participation in decision-making, consultation, involvement, empowerment, and encouragement
of risk-taking practices. For management employees, I couldnt notice management development
program (MDP). However, B&B is far from traditional carrot and stick employee relationship.
Furthermore, the interview with senior-level employees and front-line employees summarized that
leadership has been a crucial role in the successful streak of B&B. Obviously, it is questionable
that to what extent an SME requires leadership other than general management. As per the
interview, leadership is inevitable to create and communicate organizational vision. Mr.

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Mohammed Ali is successful leader in sharing organizational vision till the shop-floor. But to what
extent employees takes the vision is the key concern.
The study on leadership style (index-4) revealed that, it is better to be both task and people oriented
employees stay in B&B because of the personal care and communication they gets from top
management. And the attitude of employees requires continuous formal command to make them
involved in their work. But, this involvement does not creates a discretionary behaviour in frontline employees. Additionally, the study on transformational leadership (index-3) of Mr.
Mohammed Ali revealed that have the qualities of a both transformational as well as transactional
leader. But, more inclined to transformational leadership sharing egalitarian view across the
organisation. However, distributive leadership is not theme of B&B. Still managers rule there.
Attitude towards change As long as things are working, I do not try to change anything is yet to
change to create an innovative and highly flexible workplace. More importantly, employees are
less interested towards change. Moreover, employees have faith in leader and management for
their responsible and people-centered attitude.
The interview with Mr. Mohammed Ali revealed that B&B have not undergone for any strategic
change. However, faculties and technicians need to be trained continuously as ceaseless change in
technology requires syllabus update. But, the change is modest. Obviously, high performance
culture often embrace continuous changes to inculcate and set best practices in the industry. The
job satisfaction survey (index-2) with employees affirmed that they havent experienced change
in the job design. And, they are not willing loss equilibrium by taking challenging new role or to
do their role in a challenging way. This is obvious from their reluctance to do overtime. B&Bs
environment may not have taken any such initiative to create a responsible workforce yet.
However, senior-level employees are still wholehearted in their work. But how far B&B enjoys
high productivity is questionable.
Furthermore, B&B have good brand reputation in the industry crafted with the strong culture and
religious values. But, is it attractive and retain top talents? Although B&B is not seeking for top
talents explicitly, they need to retain people with right attitude. After-all, they have to get top
talents at least in the future to keep competitive threat away.
Furthermore, majority of front-line employees are not interested to stay in B&B because of low
pay. More importantly, an informal feedback form employees sets out that they will not

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recommend B&B to their friends and peers because of two main reasons. First, very low pay and
other financial benefits. Second, extreme command and control. Hence it is obvious that, current
HRM do not create a better workplace in terms of employee satisfaction.
The current strategy seems outdated while comparing to best practices in industry such as HPWO.
B&B might need to capitalize their brand image to attract and retain top talents to retain market
leadership.

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CONSLUSIONS
The scope of the study held in B&B is comprehensive and targeted to create solutions for existing
issues and transform into a high performing organisation. However, there are many realistic issues
to be addressed. First, being an SME, there are many limitations for B&B in term of resource
feasibility and support from organizational and general environment. Second, B&B is led by a
strong culture and religious values and the dogma is beyond the profit maximization first principle.
This sometimes discourage adopting sophisticated approaches in strategic management and
functional level strategies, essentially HRM strategies such as people resourcing, retention, and
development.
B&B is semi-professionalized in total organizational configuration. Particularly in the human
resource management, B&B deploy HR practices and some of them are indirectly linked to
business strategy. For instance, family-friendly policies provided for employees is expected to
create commitment to B&B and that in turn create good performance. However, HR practices are
not harmonized and bundled together to create a set of mutually reinforcing practices. Rewarding
especially is not considered as an important element in creating high performance while employees
finds job satisfaction in rewards and recognition they get for their effort.
B&B seems not like an astute organisation capitalizing HR for service differentiation through
linking HR with business strategy. In fact, front-line employees are not communicated about the
strategic importance of their job in winning competitive advantage and market share. So, how
current strategy will win employee commitment and engagement is doubtful.
Interestingly, B&B won market leadership under the enterprising and inspiring leadership of Mr.
Mohammed Ali. Obviously, it is appreciable. However, why B&B miss linkage between
organizational processes? Why employees are not internalizing vision? Why B&B is unfamiliar
with flexibility and strategic changes to create best practices? Although B&B is successful, their
streak does not highlighting a strategy that change the rule of the game especially while rivalry is
getting stronger than ever before. So, they are yet to know about more sophisticated HRM such as
SHRM and high performance working practices. Finally, why B&B may not have thought of
capitalizing HPWPs may be because, lack of competitive threat or the leader may be unaware of
it, or the individuals may be resisting change.

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RECOMMENDATIONS
It cannot be judged that B&B is not doing well. Because, they are successful in creating and
locking market share with current practices. However, there are two main reasons why B&B have
to adopt sophisticated approach such as high performance working practices. First, they are not
utilizing the maximum potential and just tapped 30% of the total market. Second, retaining market
leadership is a challenge market share is getting fragmented. B&B can possibly improve the
situation using the following recommendations.
B&B have to realize the strategic significance of people especially faculties and technicians in
creating competitive advantage through service differentiation and creating a satisfied customer
pool. Hence, HR strategies such as resourcing, retention, development, rewarding, and employee
relation must reflect the importance of people performance by linking each other and with business
strategy and this.
Resourcing strategy must address competitive reasons and make congruence between behaviour
and competence. Additionally, commitment and engagement strategies (Index-5) are more
effective and sophisticated retention strategies than bonds and command and control employee
relation. The resulting job satisfaction can lead to positive discretionary behaviour and superior
performance besides creativity and innovation.
Acknowledging the fact that, financial rewarding is costly in the long-term, a competitive pay
linked to key deliverables elicited from the business strategy is wise. And it must creatively
respond to the needs of both employees and B&B. Additionally, moving into a total reward and
commitment (index-5) concept can be more appealing in creating job satisfaction. How to create
better reward strategy is given in index-6.
Furthermore, an effective performance management system including performance appraisal
focused on continuous improvement can facilitate learning culture in management as well as
employees. Additionally, B&B can try to manage the communication flow though formal as well
as informal channels. Index-7 shows inverted organizational structure adopted by high performing
organisations in service industry intended to ensure top to bottom and bottom to top
communication. And, more importantly, making service employees critical in competing in the
market.

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In sum, the HRM strategies can be bundled together to create a robust and mutually reinforcing
set of practices. This could be done at the interest of both employees and B&B. However, how far
these strategies are practicable is an important concern here.
Furthermore, B&B have a good brand reputation in the market although they spend less effort for
brand promotion. Lack of substitution may be a convincing reason. So, while competitive arena
change, B&B can put some more effort in brand promotion. However, in order to be a good
employer brand, the culture and values may not be enough. But, most important competitive pay
and working condition can only reflect the employee value proposition. And, this employee value
proposition is highly influencing in employee resourcing, retention, rewarding, and development.
Then, in order to implement above mentioned sophisticated practices, superior leadership is
required. Essentially, to facilitate high performance, leadership must ensure that employees are
satisfied and motivated. B&B have cheering leadership under Mr. Mohammed Ali. However,
distributive leadership and flexible job designs are more effective in creating positive discretionary
behaviour and risk taking. Theoretically, transformational leadership with the qualities of a level
five leadership is ideal. However, the employees readiness matters in choosing a particular style.
So, be contingent with the qualities of level five and transformational is rational.
Furthermore, the distributive leadership is possible in B&B if individual departments are given
autonomy over their responsibilities. But, Mr. Mohammed Ali have to ensure that highcommitment and high-engagement works in B&B. However, employees readiness in terms of
ability and willingness is a challenge B&B invited through their current employee resourcing
strategy.
Finally, these recommendations are made on the theme of implementing high performance
working practices. However, well-trodden culture is a mainline barrier in facilitating many HPWPs
mentioned above. So, change is inevitable.
Implementing HPWPs may be burdensome task for B&B as it requires trade-off between the
bedrock culture and organizational performance. In B&B, change is restricted to just areas of
technicians and faculties. This may be inadequate to inculcate transformational changes if
environmental and competitive factors push B&B for change in structure, culture, or strategy
essential for retaining market leadership. Implementing learning organizational culture, MDP, and

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OD in both managerial level and service level might be useful for B&B in facilitating emergent
changes inevitable for embracing positive and value adding changes, essentially while introducing
HPW culture. Additionally, if B&B finds any potential for positive transformational changes,
Kotters (1996) model, i.e., create a sense of urgency, Creating a guiding coalition, establish vision
and strategies, communicating the new vision, license broad-based action, produce short-term
wins, bolster gains and produce more change, fix new approaches in the culture might be
practicable and effective.

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Michael Armstrong and Angela Baron (2002) Strategic HRM The Key to Improved Business
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John W Newstrom (2007), organizational behaviour, Human resource at work, 12th edition, ISBN13: 978-0-07-063552
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Jeffrey Pfeffer, (1998) seven practices of successful organizations, California management
review, Vol. 40. NO.2

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The Aston center for human resources, (2008) strategic human resource management-building
research based practice, CIPD, ISBN 978-1-8439-171-8
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McGraw Hill, ISBN 978-007-125930-9

Stephen. P. Robbins, David A. DeCenzo, Sanghamithra Bhattacharya, and Madhusree Nanda
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Michael E Porter, (1985) Competitive advantage, creating and sustaining superior performance,
ISBN 0-684-84146-0
John Tomer, Understanding High Performance Work Systems: The Joint Contribution of
Economics and Human Resource Management
Peter Cappelli and David Neumark, (1999) Do high performance work practices improve
establishment-level outcomes? National bureau of economic research,
Robert A. Paton and James McCalman (2009), change management, 3rd edition, ISBN 978-817829-923-5
CIPD, (2005) Reward strategy-How to develop a reward strategy
Nele Soens, Dirk Buyens, and M. Susan Taylor (2012), First-line Implementation of HighPerformance Work Systems: Exploring Direct and Meditated Relationships with Work Unit
Performance.
Colonel George E. Reed, (2004) toxic leadership, US military review.
CIPD, (2013) learning and development, annual survey report.
CIPD (2007), changing HR functions, survey report
Bernard Burns, (2004), managing change, 4th edition, ISBN 0 273 68336 5, FT Prentice Hall
Barney j. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of management.

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APPENDICES
1. HPW questionnaire

Careful and extensive systems for recruitment, selection and training;

Formal systems for sharing information with the individuals who work in the
organization;

Clear job design and empowerment

High-level participation processes

Monitoring of attitudes and remedial action taken where necessary

Ongoing performance appraisals

Properly functioning grievance procedures;

Promotion and compensation schemes that provide for the recognition and financial
rewarding of the high-performing members of the workforce.

Employee involvement and commitment

Willingness to undertake positive discretionary behaviour, both internally and externally

(especially during the customer interface);

Enthusiastic about transformational change and continuous improvement.

extensive training and management development

incentive pay and performance management systems

2. Job satisfaction questionnaire

1. I have the tools and resources to do my job well.
2. On my job, I have clearly defined quality goals.
3. The Company does an excellent job of keeping employees informed about matters
affecting us.
4. When a customer is dissatisfied, I can usually correct the problem to their satisfaction.
5. I understand why it is so important for (Company name) to value diversity (to recognize
and respect the value of differences in race, gender, age, etc.)
6. My job makes good use of my skills and abilities.

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7. My supervisors manager visibly demonstrates a commitment to quality.

8. Senior managers visibly demonstrate a commitment to quality.
9. How satisfied are you with the information you receive from management on what is
going on in your division?
10. How satisfied are you with your involvement in decisions that affect your work?
11. Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your job?
12. How satisfied are you with the information you receive from management on whats
going on in the company?
13. How satisfied are you with your opportunity to get a better job in this company?
14. What suggestions do you have for the improvement of Britco and Bridco?
15. What things do we need to work on to improve Britco and Bridcos performance?
Source: Qualtrics Blog.htm

3.

Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ)

I make others feel good to be around me.

I express with a few simple words what we could and should do.
I help others develop themselves.
I tell others what to do if they want to be rewarded for their work.
I am satisfied when others meet agreed-upon standards.
I am content to let others continue working in the same way as always.
Others have complete faith in me.
I provide appealing images about what we can do.
I provide others with new ways of looking at puzzling things.
I let others know how I think they are doing.
I provide recognition/rewards when others reach their goals.
As long as things are working, I do not try to change anything.
Whatever others want to do is O.K. with me.
Others are proud to be associated with me.

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I help others find meaning in their work.

I get others to rethink ideas that they had never questioned before.
I give personal attention to others who seem rejected.
I call attention to what others can get for what they accomplish.
I tell others the standards they have to know to carry out their work.
I ask no more of others than what is absolutely essential
Source: B. M. Bass and B. J. Avolio, (1992)

4. Task-People leadership questionnaire: an assessment of style

I would most likely act as the spokesperson of the group.

I would encourage overtime work.

I would allow members complete freedom in their work

I would encourage the use of uniform procedures.

I would permit the members to use their own judgment in solving problems.

I would stress being ahead of competing groups.

I would speak as a representative of the group

I would needle members for greater effort.

I would try out my ideas in the group.

I would let the members do their work the way they think best.

I would be working hard for a promotion.

I would tolerate postponement and uncertainty.

I would speak for the group if there were visitors present.

I would keep the work moving at a rapid pace.

I would turn the members loose on a job and let them go to it.

I would settle conflicts when they occur in the group.

I would get swamped by details.

I would represent the group at outside meetings.

I would be reluctant to allow the members any freedom of action

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I would decide what should be done and how it should be done.

I would push for increased production.

I would let some members have authority which I could keep.

Things would usually turn out as I had predicted.

I would allow the group a high degree of initiative.

I would assign group members to particular tasks.

I would be willing to make changes.

I would ask the members to work harder.

I would trust the group members to exercise good judgment.

I would schedule the work to be done.

I would refuse to explain my actions.

I would persuade others that my ideas are to their advantage.

I would permit the group to set its own pace.

I would urge the group to beat its previous record.

I would act without consulting the group.

I would ask that group members follow standard rules and regulations.

Source: Laurie j. Mullins, (2005) management and organizational behaviour, 7th edition

5. High involvement practices (engagement)

Circulating information on organizational performance and strategy

Providing all employees with a copy of the business plan and targets

Staff Association

Internal staff surveys

Staff suggestion schemes

Quality circles/total quality management

Self-managed or self-directed teams

Cross-function teams

Kaizen specific efforts on continuous improvement in work systems

Reward and commitment practices

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Performance pay for some employees

Performance pay for all employees

Profit-sharing for some employees

Profit-sharing for all employees

Share options for some employees

Share options for all employees

Flexible job descriptions

Flexible working (e.g. hours, locations, job-share etc.)

Job rotation

Family-friendly policies

Non-pay benefits (e.g. free meals, gifts or health packages)

Benefits covering spouse or family members

Human Resource Practices

Annual appraisal

Formal feedback on job performance from superiors/employers

Formal feedback on job performance from customers/clients

Reviewing vacancies in relation to business strategy

Formal assessment tools for recruitment (e.g. competencies etc.)

Annual review of employees training needs

Continuous skills development programs

Structured induction training

Mentoring

QA assurance (e.g. ISO9000 or other similar schemes)

The Business Excellence Model or equivalent

Training to perform multiple jobs

Work-(re)design for improved performance

Workforce diversity for competitive edge

Source: Johnny Sung and David Ashton, (2005) High Performance Work Practices: linking
strategy and skills to performance outcomes, CIPD

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6. Creating reward strategy

Source: CIPD, (2005) Reward strategy- How to develop a reward strategy

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7.

lower level
middle-level
top-level

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SELF-EVALUATION
The assignment helped me to understand the reasons why and how an organization go for HPW
from traditional HRM. Again, I learn the importance of leadership in managing change and in
achieving strategy. This would be an asset for excelling in my future jobs.