Sem: Dec-2024 Maximum Marks: 50 Examination: End Exam Date: 14/12/2024 Duration: 2.5hrs
Programme code: 18 Programme: MBA for Working Executive	Class: FY	Semester: III Batch - 1
College: K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management	Name of the department/Section/Center:
Course Code:	Name of the Course: Talent Planning and Acquisition
Instructions: All questions are compulsory

Question No.	Max. Marks
Q1	In 2013, Accenture embarked on a major change program that changed the structure of the organization and how it dealt with clients. This meant it needed to recruit for roles that hadn’t existed before, such as big data consultants, and beat its competitors to highly sought-after digital talent. The organization embarked on a series of initiatives like: • Invited prospective candidates into the organization to see the technologies and solutions it was working on. • Created a fully interactive room in which attendees could interact with demos using iPads, Xbox controllers, Twitter and other tools. • Ran 30-minute demos of its Innovation Centre. • Used Google Hangouts on key industry topics so people could talk to Accenture professionals in a more dynamic way than using Facebook/Twitter Q&A. • Recruitment team built their social media profiles, using LinkedIn to attract talent and making the business more visible. • Introduced a customer relationship management tool called Avature Discuss Accenture’s strategy to acquire talent vis-a-vis traditional recruitment methods highlighting the features and applicability of both of them in any business context	10
Q2	Jayendra Nayak (Nayak) was the CMD of Axis bank from January 1, 2000, to April 20, 2009. Analysts credited him with taking the bank to a new level during his tenure. However, Nayak also attracted criticism for his failure to identify and groom an able successor to lead the bank after the end of his tenure. In early 2009, the board of the Axis Bank initiated the succession planning process and hired a global HR firm, Egon Zehnder International, to identify the new CEO. After many months of scouting and intense media speculation about Nayak's successor, the Axis Bank board zeroed in upon Shikha Sharma (Sharma), the then CEO and chairman of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd., as the new CEO and MD of Axis Bank. The decision was opposed by Nayak as he reportedly wanted an insider to succeed him. According to Nayak, Sharma did not have the relevant banking experience to take up the position and in any case, he felt that people who had been involved in building up the bank should be asked to lead it. The board, however, contended that the insiders who were front runners for the position were experts in their fields but lacked an overall vertical experience. They also criticized Nayak for not grooming his successor. With the board deciding to go ahead with the appointment of Sharma, Nayak quit the bank well before his tenure was to end July 31, 2009. As Sharma joined in her new role as the CEO and MD of Axis bank in June 1, 2009, industry observers felt she had her job cut out, considering the succession drama that unfolded at Axis Bank after her name was announced as Nayak's successor. Another challenge before Sharma was to spur growth in the bank that had a culture that was in stark contrast to that of the ICICI Group. Identify the problems an organization must face due to the lack of a succession plan at the senior levels. What is the significance of succession planning exercise for manpower planning? (7 marks) Evaluate (Axis Bank board’s) decision of acquiring talent from outside for senior positions vis-à-vis (Nayak’s inclination of) grooming an insider. (8 marks) (Ref: ICMR case study abstract – icmrindia.org)	15
Q3	The communication of job availability information (e.g., through job posting) and career counseling, whether through one's supervisor or from a counselor as such, are basic features of most career planning systems in organizations. The conduct of these activities helps in easing interdepartmental or interunit transfers, avoiding the blockage of promotion paths and outwardly support career reinforcing activities. The success of internal organization mechanism of career planning and development is also vitally dependent on descriptive information, job-progression or career ladders, and individual career-pathing procedures. Discuss traditional career progression options in organizations and highlight some of its anomalies (7 marks). Discuss the non-traditional approaches to career planning in organizations and highlight how the varied options of career progression can help a business boost their employee engagement, productivity, and retention (8 marks).	15
Q4	Write short notes on any 2: Reasons for Downsizing decision in an organization Significance of Job Analysis and Job Design in manpower planning Wastage analysis	10