Management Dynamics

Question 1

The human resource approach used by Spotlight Store is the hard management approach. This is because the business views its employees as resources and not as being resourceful. The workers’ pay is poor and only two cents per hour compensation is offered as entitlements-surrender, which presently has failed to be recognized (Australian Council of Trade Unions 2011). Unlike in the soft approach where employees’ performance is enhanced using leadership, communication and motivation, the company utilizes an authoritative approach that categorizes the employees as resources thus degrading them.

Question 2

The main conflict depicted in the company seems to be between Mr. Kim Beazley who is the Opposition Leader and Mr. Kevin Andrews, the Federal Minister for Workplace Relations. As much as the conflict is genuine, the conflict also evidences an aspect of political interests because the two parties are working in the federal and opposition parties. Since Spotlight failed to place its workers up to the Fair Act requirements, the company has formed a good ‘field’ for political conflicts. The law requires a compensation pay that the company has not acted on. The employees do not receive the twelve hours per week arrangement for its part time workers and the permanent employees do not have a guaranteed pay rise (Coorey 2006).

Question 3

Unitarists perceive organizations as harmonious systems with all individuals looking out for each other’s interests for both personal and collective wellbeing. The situation in the Spotlight Store acts against the unitarist perspective with an exemption of Mr. Beazley. The employer (Spotlight) is evidenced as selfish and exploitive towards the employees. According to the unitarist viewpoint, the employer is only liable towards own gains after maximizing the sales and profits with the utmost resources (human resources) and least costs.

Question 4

To the pluralists’ viewpoint, this acts as a perfect example of organizational associations. There is nothing out of the ordinary concerning the given scenario, evidencing a conflict between Spotlight’s management and the employees as reflected by the Opposition. According to pluralism, organizations comprise of divergent and powerful sub-groups and therefore conflicts, disputes and disagreements act as normal indicators within such a setting.

According to pluralists, management can successfully overcome this conflict by being less controlling and dictatorial decisions; the same should bend more towards coordinating and persuading employees in offering their best. In other words, this conflict can only end through collective bargaining between employee representatives and the management/federal players.

Question 5

I totally agree with Mr. Beazley in his views that the company subjugates its workers since they are desperate for jobs. As Mr. Andrews voices, the workers had no previous job and therefore infusing an aspect of desperation within them. However, their lack of employment is not a scapegoat for exploitation and mistreatment from the employer. The salary the employees receive at the stores is more than what they used to earn during their unemployed states. Nevertheless, it is also not enough as work compensation. The workers payment arrangement should be aligned to the Fair Work Act and Australian Workplace Agreement guidelines. Although the employers feel that they are portraying their best values (Fair Work Australia 2009), exploiting employees is not a good value.

References

Australian Council of Trade Unions, (2011). The Fair Work Act two years on. [online] Available at <http://www.rightsatwork.com.au/getattachment/6cf7a220-a4eb-484c-a98d-037367035e5e/The_Fair_Work_Act_Two-years_On.aspx > [Accessed 17 October 2011].

Coorey, P (July 4, 2006). “New Spotlight deal worse off than two cents offer” Sydney Morning Herald. [online] Available at <http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/new-spotlight-deal-worse-than-two-cents-offer/2006/07/03/1151778873608.html >[Accessed 17 October 2011].

Fair Work Australia, (2009). FWAA 1769 Spotlight (2011) Our Heritage [online] Available at <http://www.spotlight.com.au/our-heritage/> [Accessed 17 October 2011].

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