Human Resource Objectives (AQA A Level Business): Exam Questions

Exam code: 7132

Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2023

Last exams 2027

1 hour10 questions
1
1 mark

Statement 1: 'A hard HRM approach treats employees primarily as a resource to be managed as efficiently as possible.'

Statement 2: 'Employee engagement is a non-financial human resource objective.'

Read statements 1 and 2 and select the correct option below.

  • Statement 1 is true. Statement 2 is true

  • Statement 1 is true. Statement 2 is false

  • Statement 1 is false. Statement 2 is true

  • Statement 1 is false. Statement 2 is false

2
1 mark

The table below shows the two different management styles used by managers in four companies.

Company

Management styles

A

‘Country club’ and ‘Impoverished’

B

‘Produce or perish’ and ‘Team leader’

C

‘Produce or perish’ and ‘Impoverished’

D

‘Country club’ and ‘Team leader’

Which company is most likely to use a soft human resource management approach?

  • Company A

  • Company B

  • Company C

  • Company D

1
4 marks

Kelsall Care employs 240 staff but has never set a formal human resource objective. Its managing director says the business simply recruits whenever someone leaves.

Explain one benefit to Kelsall Care of setting human resource objectives.

2
4 marks

Tarleton Engineering has an ageing workforce, with a third of its senior engineers due to retire within five years.

Explain which human resource objective would be most appropriate for Tarleton Engineering.

3
5 marks

Barrowden Logistics employs most of its warehouse staff on zero-hour contracts and has a labour turnover rate of 58%. It is considering moving towards a soft human resource management approach.

Explain how moving to a soft human resource management approach would affect Barrowden Logistics.

4
6 marks

Hetherstone Retail has set a human resource objective of reducing labour turnover from 31% to 18% within two years.

Analyse the value to Hetherstone Retail of setting this objective.

5
6 marks

Aldbourne Foods has set itself three human resource objectives for the coming year: raising employee engagement, increasing workforce diversity, and reducing the number of employees by 8%.

Analyse the potential conflict between these objectives at Aldbourne Foods.

1
25 marks

A business changes its human resource management (HRM) approach from hard HRM to soft HRM.

To what extent is this change guaranteed to increase the motivation of all employees?

2
9 marks

Analyse how employing a more diverse workforce might increase the profit of a business.

3
16 marks

Read the case study in the Insert.

KMH plc uses a soft approach to Human Resource Management. Using the information provided, assess whether KMH plc should change its approach to Human Resource Management to help boost its profit.