Recruitment, Selection & Training (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Business)

Exam Questions

3 hours27 questions
14 marks

Case Study

Alex started APB as a sole trader business 4 years ago. APB provide printing services for local businesses such as leaflets and brochures. Alex thinks having a good location is important to any business. All APB’s 6 employees receive on-the-job training. Alex has a democratic leadership style and uses job rotation to help keep employees motivated. To meet an increase in demand, Alex plans to buy an additional printing machine. This will cost $1 800. Alex has to decide on an appropriate source of finance.

Outline one advantage and one disadvantage to APB of using on-the-job training.

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24 marks

Identify four stages of the recruitment process.

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32 marks

Define ‘off-the-job training’.

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42 marks

Define ‘on-the-job training’.

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54 marks

State four factors a business should consider when deciding which employees to make redundant.

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62 marks

Identify two reasons why a business might offer training to its employees.

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72 marks

Define ‘job description’.

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82 marks

Identify two legal controls over employment.

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92 marks

Define ‘redundancy’.

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104 marks

Case Study

DZD is a large parcel delivery business. Many of its employees work part-time. DZD’s directors are planning to expand the business and have to decide on a suitable source of finance for 20 new vehicles. DZD will also recruit 60 new employees. The Human Resources Director is preparing a job description for the new employees. She is considering using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to increase the motivation of DZD’s employees.

Outline two factors DZD should consider when deciding which applicants to recruit.

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16 marks

Case Study

SRB is a bank which provides loans to business customers. SRB plans to make 100 managers’ jobs redundant from its 80 branches. This would remove one level of hierarchy. This is part of its plan to save $1m in costs over the next 2 years. The Managing Director said: ‘SRB is working with the trade union about this plan. SRB will make more use of delegation.The bank has to respond to increased competition from online banks. SRB could either advertise more or develop new products and services.’

Explain two factors SRB should consider when deciding which managers to make redundant.

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28 marks

Explain four requirements for the new manager that Gemma should include in the job specification for a shop manager.

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36 marks

Do you think it is better for a tertiary sector business to use full-time employees rather than part-time employees? Justify your answer.

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48 marks

Explain four effects of training on a business.

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56 marks

Do you think an organisation should always use external recruitment when recruiting skilled employees? Justify your answer.

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66 marks

Case Study

FBW manufactures watches using job production. It employs 5 full-time production employees. Each worker is offered regular training. Last year FBW sold 600 watches. The Managing Director plans to use break-even analysis to help decide whether to increase the price of its products. FBW’s current break-even chart is shown in Fig.

Break-even chart showing fixed costs, total costs, and total revenue for FBW's watches across different production quantities, with cost and revenue in dollars.

Explain two benefits to FBW of having full-time employees.

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76 marks

Do you think a service business should only employ part-time workers? Justify your answer.

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86 marks

Case Study

MRN is a food retailer. It has 490 shops and 70,000 employees. MRN has announced plans to close 80 of its shops. The Human Resources Director said: ‘20% of management jobs will be removed. We want to encourage delegation. MRN will continue to follow legal controls over employment.’ MRN’s directors know it is important that businesses respond to increased competition.

Explain two factors MRN should consider when deciding which shops to close.

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96 marks

Do you think off-the-job training is the best method of training for a service sector business to use? Justify your answer.

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108 marks

Explain two reasons why training is important to PH.

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118 marks

Explain one advantage and one disadvantage to SSE of using internal recruitment for its new managers.

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126 marks

Case Study

UDig is a large mining company based in country B. UDig is in the private sector. It supplies businesses in country B with 30% of the coal they need and the rest is imported. UDig now has eight mines but plans to close two of them. This will threaten 1800 employees with redundancy. The Managing Director said: ‘I blame the appreciation of country B’s exchange rate and new legal controls, including those to protect the environment. The Government should help private sector businesses.’

Explain two factors UDig should consider when deciding which mines to close.

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136 marks

Do you think experience is the most important factor for a business to consider when recruiting a new manager? Justify your answer.

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112 marks

Using Appendix 3 and other information, consider the three applicants for the job of Marketing Manager for country Z. Who is the best applicant for the job? Justify your answer.

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212 marks

Consider the information about the two managers outlined in Appendix 2. Who should be chosen as the Operations Manager for the NM factory? Justify your answer.

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312 marks

Consider the advantages and disadvantages of two methods of training Tokumbo could use for his existing employees. Which method should he use? Justify your answer.

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412 marks

Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the following three methods of employee selection. Which method should CC use when recruiting production workers? Justify your answer.

  • Application form

  • Interview

  • Aptitude tests

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