Question

Describe Cascio’s (2005) ‘chain of relationships’ model, three (3) high performance work system (HPWS) characteristics, and three advantages to organizations that adapt Cascio’s model.

Answer 1

Cascio's "Chain of Relationships" is a conceptual model that links the various different aspects of an Organisation.

• It is a simple linear model in the form of => A ->B -> C->D where it means A leads to B leads to C leads to D
• The model links EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES to EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION to CUSTOMER SATISFACTION to THE LONG TERM PROFITABILITY AND GROWTH.
• The model states that Effective Management Practices drive Employee Satisfaction which further drives Customer Satisfaction and thus helping the organization achieve long term profitability and growth.
• The model describes a phenomenon wherein it lays the focus on the effectiveness in the implementation of the organization's management practices and its ultimate impact on the organization's growth and profitability.

High-performance work system (HPWS) characteristics:

High-performance work system or HPWS is a collection of the various Human Resources practices & the Work process & the related structures that ultimately increase the skillset, the knowledge, worker commitment & engagement of the workforce.

Its main features or characteristics are :

• The Work Design: It refers to the workflow and the design of other various components of the organization's structure such as technologies, training, the recruitment ( staffing ) design, etc.
• Another feature is Human Resource Practices i.e the various HR-related elements and its components such as T&D( Training and Development ) the recruitment practices etc.
• IT or Information Technology is an important part of the HPWS as they create an efficient communicative environment with the information flow that is important to any organization and can aid in the fast problem solving and data analysis. The main purpose is effective communication.

Three advantages to organizations that adapt Cascio’s model:

• Employees are a vital part of any organization and an organization's long term sustainability is dependent on employee satisfaction since Cascio's model helps provide an insight into what increases employee satisfaction, it is beneficial for the orgasmatron.
• The model provides a formula in the form of a relationship to achieve strategic success in the form of long term profitability and growth.
• The other advantage that this model offers is that it is relatively simple to implement and raises the overall skillset of the employees thus raising the quality factor of the employees by the effective management practices.