Buss 432: Career Development Question Paper
Buss 432: Career Development
Course:Career Development
Institution: Kenya Methodist University question papers
Exam Year:2008
KENYA METHODIST UNIVERSITY
END OF SECOND TRIMESTER 2008 EXAMINATIONS
FACULTY : BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT STUDIES
DEPARTEMENT : BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
COURSE CODE : BUSS 432
COURSE TITLE : CAREER DEVELOPMENT
TIME : 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Answer Question ONE and any other TWO Questions
Question 1
(a) You are working in a large conservation organization and you have been asked to coach the following staff. Both have been successful in their careers to this point, yet with both individuals, issues have been raised concerning their interpersonal skills. There is concern on the part of top management in the organization that both need to change their style of communicating to be effective in their current positions, as well as to advance further in the organization.
Scenario 1: Mary is one of your senior researchers. She has a brilliant scientific mind and is considered one of the top researchers in her field. She has received many promotions but recently, some key staff in her department left the organization and others have expressed their desire to leave. they describe Mary as impossible to work with, too aggressive and mean. in evaluating the concern, you find that Mary’s focus has been on getting the job done. She admits that she cares very little about the personal needs of employees and that she gets very impatient with non performers who cannot keep up with her fast-paced style of management.
Scenario 2; Julius is an accomplished middle level manager in the organization and very good within his function area. He has however been informed that he will not be promoted unless he learns how to manage people more effectively. Julius’s supervisor described him as sarcastic and insincere. When you speak with Julius about the issue he does not appear to be listening to you nor showing any interest in what you are telling him. His facial expressions and body language come across quite negative.
(i) If you were seeking to coach both of these employees, how would you set your coaching plan? (10marks)
(ii) What types of actions and activities would you engage in? Why? (5 marks)
(iii) For the following coaching personnel options, discuss their advantages and disadvantages:
• You as the coach (internal resource)
• External resource person ( consultant) (5 marks)
(b) Define the following terms
(i) Training
(ii) Development
(iii) On the job training
(iv) Off the job training
(v) Orientation (10 marks)
Question 2
(a) Differentiate the following terms:
(i) Learning organization
(ii) Organization learning (5 marks)
(b) What is the relationship between organizational needs and strategic planning?
(10 marks)
(c) How can employee training and development initiatives contribute toward attainment of strategic objectives? (5 marks)
Question 3
(a) What is career development? (5 marks)
(b) Discuss two theories of learning showing how each theory could be applied in corporate training and development (15 marks)
Question 4
(a) Define transfer of learning and enumerate factors that organizations can implement to facilitate the transfer. (5 marks)
(b) Discuss the four levels of evaluation that make up Kirkpatrick’s framework of evaluation (5 marks)
(c) Training and development evaluation is not practiced frequently by organizations. Discuss (10 marks)
Question 5
(a) Explain how both organization and individuals can benefit from a well designed career management system (10 marks)
(b) Using your knowledge of the stages of life and career development, explain how the career issues of a 27 year old differ from those of a 45 year old. What are organization’s implications of the issues you have identified? (10 marks)
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