Essay Google’s Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Case Study – Management Assignment Help

Assignment Task:

PART A 

ANSWER ANY TWO OF THE FOLLOWING FOUR QUESTIONS (15 MARKS EACH) 

1. It is strongly recommended that learning and development programmes for line managers incorporate conflict identification and ways in which to effectively deal with it: 

a. Briefly describe the dual concerns model of conflict management (2.5 marks). 

b. Define the different styles of conflict management identified in the dual concerns model (5 marks). 

c. Critically evaluate each conflict management style identified in the dual concerns model (7.5 marks). 

2. The future of strategic human resource management is linked to the future of work: 

a. Discuss the major trends linked to the future of work (10 marks). 

b. For each of the trends identified, provide a brief on their impact on human resource management (5 marks). 

3. A strategic approach to human resource management involves creating a safe, healthy and ethical work environment: 

a. Examine any five work health and safety (WHS) issues (10 marks). 

b. Briefly discuss the human resource management response to each issue (5 marks). 

4. Job analysis should be efficiently carried out so as to make the human resource management processes effective and reduce high employee turnover rate: 

a. Briefly discuss what job analysis is (3 marks). 

b. Identify the inter-relationship between job analysis and the human resource management processes (12 marks). 

PART B 

ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS (10 MARKS EACH) 

CASE STUDY 

Google’s Objectives and Key Results (OKR) system was introduced back in the early 2000s, based on an approach originally developed at microchip firm, Intel. OKR involves all members of the organisation setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound) objectives in key results areas, with the key features described as follows: 

• OKRs are set quarterly at three levels: for the individual (what an individual is working on), team (specific priorities for the team, not the bucket of all personal OKRs) and company (the big picture and top-level focus for the entire company) level. 

• Google’s CEO sets OKRs for the company at the beginning of each quarter, triggering all employees within Google to make sure their own personal and team OKRs roughly sync with Google’s corporate and business strategies. The firm deliberately sets ambitious goals, believing that if they achieve all of them, the goals are not put aggressively enough. 

• All individuals and team OKRs are visible on Google’s intranet so that employees can find out what their co-workers and other teams are doing, feel more responsible for the goals they set and be more willing to contribute constructively to the business. 

• The main goal of OKR is to connect company, team and individual goals and make people move together in the right direction. Hence, OKRs provide focus and unite teams behind a single strategy. 

Answer the following questions: 

1. Why do you think Google has applied this approach to its performance management system when other firms seem to have shied away from the balanced score model (10 marks). 

2. Can you see any drawbacks or dangers in Google’s focus on goal setting? (10 marks)