CAPE Management Of Business Unit 1 IA

1. IN PART FULFILMENT
OFTHE
MANAGEMENT OF BUSINESS
SYLLABUS
FOR
CARIBBEAN ADVANCED
PROFIENCY EXAM (CAPE)
FOR THE YEAR 2012-2013
2012-2013
Name: Alex Stewart
Form: L6
Centre No.: 100082
Candidate No.: 1000821177
Territory: Jamaica
School: Munro College

2. Table of Contents
Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4
Aims and Objectives...................................................................................................................................... 5
Lit Review ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
Methodology............................................................................................................................................... 10
Report ......................................................................................................................................................... 12
Analysis and Interpretation......................................................................................................................... 15
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 17
Recommendation........................................................................................................................................ 18
References/Bibliography............................................................................................................................. 19
Appendices.................................................................................................................................................. 20
Questionnaire ............................................................................................................................................. 20
Presentation Of Data .................................................................................................................................. 24

3. Acknowledgement
The completion of this Internal Assessment would not have been possible without the help of the
Almighty God, who gave me the strength and health to complete the assignment. Also my family
and friends played a major role in assisting me in obtaining the necessary research data for the
project. And last but definitely not the least my wonderful sociology teacher Ms. Collins, who
aided her students‟ and guided us every step of the way. I am extremely thankful.

4. Introduction
The central purpose of Human Resource Management (HRM) is to recruit, train and
utilize a business‟s personnel in the most productive manner to assist the organization in the
achievement of its objectives. This management function has developed from, but is rather
different to, the work of traditional „Personnel Departments‟. These departments, historically,
were responsible for recruiting, discipline and welfare of staff and they tended to be bureaucratic,
inflexible and reluctant to give any HR roles to any other functional managers. Human resource
management, however, focuses on planning the workforce needs of the business; recruiting and
selecting appropriate staff, using a variety of techniques; appraising, training and developing
staff at every stage of their careers and measuring and monitoring staff performance.
With the above knowledge, the researcher will take on the purpose of isolating areas of
weakness within the Human Resource Department and attempt to remedy such faults, while
exploring the topic of“ The importance of the Human Resource Management within the
„Waterloo Guest House‟ ”.

5. Aims and Objectives
To help with the investigation of this research, the researcher has come up with a variety of aims
and objectives which should make the interpretation of the „importance of the Human Resource
Department less hackling. These are the aims that were created in order to assist in the
interpretation.
 To gain more knowledge as to how the Human Resource Department operates in a
business.
 Identifying the main duties carried out by the Human Resource Department of Waterloo
Guest House.
 Recommend strategies to help improve the effectiveness of the Human Resource
Department within Waterloo Guest House.
In having these aims, the following objectives were derived by the researcher:
 To assess the functions of the Human Resource Management at Waterloo Guest House.
 To elaborate on the managerial structure of the Human Resource Department.
 To identify the day-to-day activities of the Human Resource Department.
 To describe the HRM function at Waterloo Guest House.
 To evaluate the effectiveness of other departments at the Waterloo Guest House.
 To make recommendations to improve the HRM department at Waterloo Guest House.

6. Lit Review
The manager of this organization is actively involved in the day to day activities of business. The
management practices a variety of strategies to get his employees involved in the activities of the
business. Some of these strategies include;Motivation- In order for someone to work effectively
that person has to get encouragement that the work being done by them is ok and they should
continue or that the work being done is not good enough and they should work harder. This
process is known as motivation. Motivations are given through; fringe benefits, incentives, and
bonus.Controlling- For a manager to lead an organization he/she has to be able to possess control
over the workers of the organization. This is very important to leaders as in distinguishes a leader
from a regular worker.Organizing- Leaders are expected to set standards and rules that persons
below them should follow in order to ensure the success of their organization. This would be
considered a form of organization because the leader sets standards that employees are expected
to live up to.Planning- A leader is someone who should always make preparations for what will
happen in the case of an incident in his/her company. Leaders should always plan ahead so that
they can be readily prepared for any unexpected occurrences in the organization. EvaluatingLeaders should always be able to interpret the path in which the business is headed and analyze it
so that he/she can inform employees of what they are expected to do, to help the organization on
the path to success.Communication - For a team to work effectively it is essential team members
acquire communication skills and use effective communication channels between one another
e.g. using email, viral communication, group meetings and so on. This will enable team members
of the group to work together and achieve the team's purpose and goals.

7. The employees of this organization are encouraged to continue doing good work with benefits
that they receive from the organization. Some of these benefits are; incentives, bonus and fringe
benefits. Another form of motivation practiced by this organization is giving employees the
opportunity to aid in decision making, this is known as “participative” or “democratic leadership
style”.This type of style involves the leader including one or more employees in on the decision
making process (determining what to do and how to do it). However, the leader maintains the
final decision making authority. Using this style is not a sign of weakness; rather it is a sign of
strength that your employees will respect. Employees of this department engage themselves into
teams as they have proven that in doing this they get more work done in a shorter period of time
and it is of better quality that if they did it by themselves. These employees carry out duties such
as these in teams; the recruitment of employees, interviewing suitable persons for a specific job,
and allocation of employees. The organization employees the formal channel of communication.
This form of communication includes; meetings, memos, and reports. This channel can either be
vertical or horizontal. This method of communication is effective as it:
 Is a quick and easy way to send and receive messages in the organization.
 Builds confidence within employees so that they can express themselves freely.
 Builds a relationship among workers.
This method of communication also has its negative side such as:
 It might only allow one-way vertical downward communication.
 It often has to be planned in advance.
 Written records of conversations are kept.
In every organization the Human Resource Management plays a dual role in the form of strategic
and administrative performances. The strategic function lies in ensuring that a company‟s

8. employees (its human resources) abide by the company‟s rules, but also are happy in their jobs.
This can mean contrasting roles such as monitoring personal calls and emails, and being a point
of contact for any problems. The administrative function of the HRM office is concerned with
ensuring that their employees‟ benefits are awarded. This can include vacation and sick leaves
benefits, uniforms, health and safety, and canteens. The researcher through thus researcher has
noticed that the HRM office at The Waterloo Guest House takes great pride in carrying out these
functions. From the uniformed staff at the house to the well-disciplined and well pleased
employees.The questionnaires used in this research were aimed directly at gathering information
as to what the main functions of the Human Resource Management at the Waterloo Guest House
are.
Previously stated The Waterloo Guest House didn‟t start out as a guest house. It was
home to Dr. Frank Ferdinand who occupied it until 1972 when Stewart‟s daughter Mrs. Carolyn
Allen returned to Jamaica from the USA. She from her personal savings converted the estate
from a house into a great house. After this took place the establishment started to survive from
the money it earned collecting rent from persons who rest there. Financial statements are
summaries of monetary data about an enterprise. The Waterloo Guest House engages in the
preparation of some of the most common financial statements including the balance sheet, the
income statement, the statement of changes of financial position and the statement of retained
earnings. In the preparation of financial statements company‟s must adhere to set guidelines
provided by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) founded on April 1, 2001 is
the successor of the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) founded in June
1973 in London. It is responsible for developing the International Financial Reporting Standards.

9. The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are standards and interpretations adopted
by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).
The business is one that holds in their hands the life of many so the manager found it suitable for
him to insure the business so that he can cover whatever damage is done on the properly of the
organization.

10. Methodology
The researcher investigated the Waterloo Guest House to find out how important it is to
have a Human Resource Department as well as to find the effectiveness of having this
department in an organization.
Through-out this entire project the researcher gained his information using a number of
primary and secondary sources. Some of the primary sources that were used employed include:
overt observation and questionnaires, while some of the secondary sources employed included:
the internet, books, and records from the statement.
The research instrument used by the researcher is questionnaire. The researcher chose
questionnaires because they guarantee the confidentiality and it may reach a large mass in a short
period. The questionnaires were administered to the respondents directly by the researcher and
they were assured that confidentiality would be a major importance of the researcher in dealing
with their response. They were also encouraged not to correspond with each other during the
exercise and were asked for their full co-operation as well as to be honest in giving their
response. In choosing the respondents employed random sampling was used to assist the
researcher in choosing a sample population from the population for him to investigate.
The researcher during his visit to the business managed to observe methods by which
persons in the Human Resource Management of the business carry out their functions. The
employees of the Human Resource Management department were aware that they were being
observed, so therefore the researcher is unaware if the participants weren‟t just pretending.
The investigation consists of six (6) employees from the organization. From which (3)
three were males and (3) three were females. The members of this sample are all members with

11. over two (2) years work experience in the Human Resource Department of Waterloo Guest
House, so they should be able to answer some of the questions being raised by the researcher.
The researcher chose this organization because of its close proximity to the researchers‟ home.
The questionnaires were administered to the population on the 23rd of November 2011
and they were collected on 27th of November 2011. The questionnaires were left with the
population for approximately 24hrs. The researcher returned to the organization to collect the
responses of the population about 2hrs after the 24hrs given to them expired.

12. Report
The researcher investigated “The importance of Human Resource Department in
Waterloo Guest House”. This is an organization that is located in Black River. This organization
is one that is located across from the Black River water front, it carries a wonderful view of the
water and it beautifully decorated with flowers and lilies.The house was built in 1819, built
mainly from materials imported from England and named after the battle of Waterloo. It was
originally owned by the Shakespeare family (who were believed to be related to the great bard).
The Shakespeare's sold the property to John Leyden, an English racehorse breeder. Leyden
bought the first car to Jamaica and in 1893 made Waterloo the first home in Jamaica to be
supplied with electricity. He then went on to wire the whole town with electricity, making Black
River the only town in Jamaica with domestic electricity. However, when the family's fortunes
changed the electricity plant had to close. The town then went without electricity until 1936.In
1940 the house was sold to Dr. Frank Ferdinand. Dr. Ferdinand's wife established a school (the
"Black River High School") which was operational between 1945 and 1960, producing many
great scholars. Waterloo was converted in to a guest house in 1972 when Stewart's daughter,
Mrs. Carolyn Allen returned to Jamaica from the USA. The original building contains six
bedrooms but a new wing, housing 16 rooms was added in 1992. The mission statement of this
organization states that the organization endures to serve and satisfy the needs of customers and
also to ensure that the employees of the organization are satisfied with their working
conditions.The Human Resource Management department at The Waterloo Guest house indulges
in a variety of activities which are beneficial to the improvement of Black River and its
surrounding communities. This organization sponsors a variety of youth programs such as; under
21 football competitions, junior girls‟ netball competitions, walk-a-thons and Marathons and
swimming competitions just to name a few. The business being investigated is a partnership that

13. operates under the private sector. The private sector is that part of the economy that is owned and
controlled by private individuals. The business operates in Jamaica which employs a mixed
economic system. This economic system is one in which there is a combination of a free market
and a planned economy. In this system the government and the forces of demand and supply
allocate the resources of the economy. A public sector and a private sector co-exist within the
economy where some enterprises are owned by the state and some are privately owned. Some of
the main objectives of this business are to:
 Provide a safe haven for persons visiting Black River.
 Maximize profits to the fullest.
In this business there are persons who are ranked higher than others and in order for the person at
the lower rank to communicate with those high above them they will have to first consult with
their superiors. This is an illustration of how this process occurs.
Manager
Supervisor
HR Officer
Chefs
Fig 1.
Maids
Administration
Receptionist
Accounts
clerks

14. As the figure above illustrates the chefs and the maids in this company have to consult the
human resource officer in order for their opinions to reach the manager but before it reaches the
manager the human resource officer has to report to the supervisor who will in return report to
the manager.

15. Analysis and Interpretation
The researcher through this research learnt that Waterloo Guest House is one that is
actively involved in recreational activities that take place in and around the community of Black
River through the Human Resource Management Office. The researcher also managed to attain
knowledge that the guest house operates in a private sector under a mixed economy.The mission
statement of any organization is very important as it express in words the business‟s vision of
what the company is and what it is to become. The mission statement of the Waterloo Guest
House does exactly this as their mission states:
“To be aresting bed away from home for travelersthrough an Efficient, Satisfied Team that
delivers quality living conditions for guest, thereby Maximizing Value for the benefit of Our
Clients, Shareholders and Employees.”In this mission statement, it is clear that the purposes of
The Waterloo Guest House is to create an environment in which persons travelling can come to
relax and still feel at home, and maximize profits for the benefit of the clients, shareholders and
employees. The members of the Human Resource Management team are able to keep the
objectives of the business alive because the mission statement of the company is a constant
reminder to them as to what their roles are. The Human Resource Management at the Waterloo
Guest House plays a credential role in maintaining their public appearance.
Members of the organization made in known to the researcher that the manager of the
organization engages in activities that assist the employees in doing effective and efficient work.
It was also gathered that the employees of this organization get evaluated every four
months.Democratic leadership style encourages workers participation in decision making. The
workers participation may lead to better final decisions as staff has much to contribute and can
offer valuable work experience to new situations. Their higher order needs are also met due to

16. this style of leadership. Workers should feel more committed to ensuring that decisions they
have influenced are put into effect successfully. However, employing this leadership style can be
time consuming, also, on occasions, quick decision making will be required and this may cause
some form of conflict.Effective team work and team management is very important to any
organization. The Waterloo Guest House believes that team work and a strong team management
is vital in achieving the entity‟s objective.From the information received the researcher
understand that the HRM office at The Waterloo Guest house plays an effective role in ensuring
that the business remains functional over the years and also gains maximum profit and give
customer satisfaction from its daily routines.

17. Conclusion
From the information collected the researcher has found it fit to conclude that the business is one
that plays a vital role in and around the community of Black River through the Human Resource
Management Office and is one that has made their name around the world because they meet
customer satisfactory standards.
The researcher also came to the conclusion that the organizations‟ management style is
very effective which hence has led to the generating of many customers to the company which is
the major cause of the high income earning. The researcher also came to the conclusion that
through this management style the employees of this organization are satisfied and thus work to
the best of their abilities. In closing the researcher, wishes to outline that the Human Resource
Management at the Waterloo Guest House is very important as it builds a solid foundation on
which the company‟s years of success lies.

18. Recommendation
The researcher will recommend that The Waterloo Guest House continues to prepare its
financial statements in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards and the
rules stipulated by the International Accounting Standards Board.
The researcher will also recommend that they continue to use their current form of
leadership, as it has benefited them throughout the years, and has allowed them to grow and
become the leader that they are.
The researcher will also recommend that they keep their current mission statement and
business objectives as it has made them into a very dynamic get-away hotspot that they currently
are.
The researcher wishes to inform the company that the use of the Human Resource
Management is very effective in that it has helped the company in becoming where it is
currently.
In an attempt to increase the effectiveness of the HRM department the researcher will
also recommend that the Head Of Department (HOD) keep regular and current records of the
work done by the department itself in order to compile sensible reports on regular intervals.

19. References/Bibliography
Waterloo Guest House financial statement(fiscal year 2008-2009)
http://www.google.com
http://www.britannica.com/
Stimpson, P. Singh, K. (2007) Management of Business for Cape, Unit 1, Cambridge University
Press
Pg. 178,194
S.Finisterre and L.Payne and J.Reid (2004)Office Administration for CXC. Pg.158

20. Appendices
Questionnaire
From the research at hand the researcher came up with a number of questions to
administer to the sample population. These questions are set solely to find out what the functions
of the Human Resource Department are. Some of these questions are:
This is not a test so there are no reasons to share answers or cheat.
Please tick an answer where [ ] are provided.
1. To what gender do you belong?
[ ] Male
[ ] Female
2. How long have you been an employee of this organization?
[ ] 3-5 months
[ ] 6-12 months
[ ] 1-2 years
[ ] Over two years
3. What is the Human Resource Department?
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________.
4. Is there a Human Resource Management at the Waterloo Guest House?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]

21. 5. What are the functions of the Human Resource Department?
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________.
6. Why is it important to have a Human Resource Department at Waterloo Guest House?
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________.
7. Does the Human Resource Department help to motivate employees?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
8. If yes, explain how the department does this.
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________.
9. Is the Human Resource Department allowed to employ?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
10. How often does this department update its‟ system?
[ ] Daily
[ ] Weekly
[ ] Monthly
[ ] Annually

22. 11. How has the Human Resource Management Department contributed to the running of the
Waterloo Guest House?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
12. Is teamwork an important factor to management?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
13. What are the types of teams is management involved in?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
14. Has this led to the growth of the company?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
15. Why do you prepare financial statements?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
16. Do you utilize Accounting Standards? If yes, in what ways?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
17. Do you keep abreast of changes in the international Accounting Standards?
[ ] Yes

23. [ ] No
18. What are some of International Standards your company uses?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

24. Presentation Of Data
Graph showing effectiveness of the HRM
23%
32%
23%
24%
Recruiting
Interviewing
Allocating
Assessing
Fig 1. The figure above illustrates how effectively the Human Resource Management Office of
the Waterloo Guest House performs its functions. The diagram shows that the department
performs most of its functions equally but pays a somewhat special bit of attention to the
recruiting sector but is very effective in what it does.

25. Graph showing the period of time that respondents have been
employed
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
3-5 months
6-12 months
1-2 years
Over two years
The figure above illustrates in percentage how many long the respondents have been working in
the Human Resource department of Waterloo Guest House.

26. Graph showing growth of income in the business
$1,000,000
$900,000
$800,000
$700,000
$600,000
$500,000
$400,000
$300,000
$200,000
$100,000
$0
1993-1995
1996-1997
1998-2001
2002-2004
Fig 3. This diagram shows how the Human Resource Management department has helped to
generate income at the Waterloo Guest House.