1007GBS Take-home Exam Discussion Questions

Instructions:

This exam will open at 9:00 am on Saturday 3^rd December 2022. It will be available until 9:00 am on Tuesday 6^th December 2022.

1. Download both the Deferred Exam and the Discussion Questions files.
2. Use only the Discussion Questions file (this file) to write your answers. Make sure you write your name and your student ID in the space above this box.
3. Do not delete the questions. Deleting the questions will make it hard for the examiner to determine which question you are answering. Provide your answer to each question immediately below the question.

For example,

Question: What is the combination of technologies used in delivering drones that can plant trees one billion at a time? Name four of these technologies (2 marks).

Answer: The four technologies are …….

4. Save the final version of this document as a ‘word’ file and submit it through Turnitin by the due date. Only one (1) submission is permitted, therefore make sure you submit only your final draft.

2022T3 Take-home exam discussion questions

Using your own words, answer all discussion questions.

Topic 1       Role of technology

Case study – New Drones to plant one billion trees

Discussion questions (8 marks)

1. What is the combination of technologies used in delivering drones that can plant trees one billion at a time? Name four (2 marks).
2. Is the drone technology in the case study innovative/disruptive? Explain by referring to the definition below (2 marks).

Definition of Innovative Technologies:

Technologies that are either newly invented or are being utilized in new ways.

Definition of disruptive technology:

• A disruptive technology supersedes an older process, product, or habit.
• It usually has superior attributes that are immediately obvious, at least to early adopters.
• Upstarts rather than established companies are the usual source of disruptive technologies.

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Topic 2        Role of the union

Case study – DP World hit by national waterfront strikes

Discussion questions (8 marks)

1. Identify which four actors in the following diagram are involved in the case study and give the name of each actor as they appear in the case study (2 marks).
2. What is automation? Explain how this concept applies to the case (2 marks).
3. What is an enterprise agreement? Explain how this concept applies to this case (how can you see this concept demonstrated in the case)? (2 marks)
4. What is industrial action? What type of industrial action is taken in this case study? (2 marks)

Topic 3       Pluralism vs. Unitarism (8 marks)

Question 1:

The following picture describes the fundamental employment relationship between employees and their employers. We also learned about the role of unions in this relationship.

We learned that the fundamental employment relationship is between employees and their employer. There are two major approaches that shape employment relationship. Use all the following words in one paragraph to describe the key features of one major approach. Word limit – 100 words (4 marks).

Question 2:

This picture conceptualises a possible pluralist outcome of both the management and the trade union losing in an escalating conflict. It is a lose-lose scenario. Refer to the case study in Topic 2 – DP World hit by national waterfront strikes. Explain how neither management nor the trade union can win should the escalation of conflict continue. The trade union in the case study is the Maritime Union of Australia or MUA (4 marks). Word limit – 100 words.

Topic 4        Role of the state

Case study – Sydney Water

Discussion Questions (8 marks)

1. This case study demonstrates how employment relations in Australia have transitioned from a ‘hostile’ approach to a ‘honest and transparent’ approach.

a). What is the technical term of the old ‘hostile’ approach and the new ‘honest and transparent’ approach? (1 mark)

b). Discuss four key features of each approach. (2 marks)

c). Identify four key words from the case study to illustrate the characteristics of the new working relationship/approach. (2 marks)

2. a). The Fair Work Commission took a facilitating role in the new approach. Explain how facilitation worked in the case study. Explain using two examples from the case study. (2 marks)

b). What are the outcomes of the new approach? Explain using two examples from the case study. (1 mark)

Topic 5: Stagnating wages and the EBA

Case Study – There’s one big reason wages are stagnating: the enterprise bargaining system is broken, and in terminal decline

Discussion Questions (10 marks)

1. The Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) system is broken. Refer to the case study and discuss how its current design disadvantages many low paid workers in a high inflation environment (6 marks). Word limit – 100 words.
2. One proposal on how to repair the current EBA system is to have workers negotiate with multi-employers instead of a single employer. Do your research, cite your reference/s, and explain how the proposal may strengthen the workers’ bargaining power (4 marks). Word limit – 100 words.

Topic 6        Employees or contractors?

Case study – Foodora

Discussion questions (4 marks)

Referring to the Foodora case, answer the following questions:

1. Why did Foodora misrepresent its employees as independent contractors? (1 mark)
2. What evidence is there in this case study that the riders were employees and not contractors? (1 mark)
3. Is this an example of soft or hard HRM? Explain. (1 Mark)
4. What role did the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Commission play in the Foodora case? (1 mark)

Topic 7        Human Resource Management

Case study – Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC)

Discussion Questions (4 marks)

1. Are the employees at PwC considered by management an asset or a cost? Explain using two examples from the case. (1 mark)
2. Based on the case evidence, identify one common interest objective that PwC has provided for management and employees to cooperate for a win-win outcome. Briefly explain how it works. (2 marks)
3. What do we call this employment relationship framework? Discuss one feature of this approach that may contribute to the firm developing a competitive advantage (1 mark)

END OF DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

3. Assess the commercial viability of this technology (2 marks).
4. Does this type of drone technology destroy jobs for human workers? How? (1 mark)
5. Does it also create jobs for human workers? How? Give one example of your own (1 mark).