QUESTIONNAIRE

Jalpa Patel and Niti Lalpuria students of Indu Management Institute (IMI) affiliated to Gujarat
Technological University (GTU) have been permitted for Comprehensive Project on Human
Resource Management (HRM) Practices and its impact on firms performance with reference
to firms registered under Vadodara Chamber of Commerce & Industry (VCCI).
Section 1: Human Resource Management Practices (HRM Practices)

Please CIRCLE the levels of agreement in each of the items below with
regards to nine criteria of Human Resource Management (HRM) Practices
of your firm.
Level
of
Agree
ment

Stro
ngly
Disa
gree
Di
sa
gr
ee
N
eu
tra
l
A
gr
ee
Stro
ngly
Agr
ee
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-

1. Human Resource Planning (HR Planning)
Firm forecasts personnel requirements on a timely basis. 1 2 3 4 5
Firm has spent a great amount of money on selecting staff. 1 2 3 4 5
A large number of people are involved in HR planning in firm. 1 2 3 4 5
Structured and Standardized interviews have been used in firm. 1 2 3 4 5
2. Staffing Practices
Firm adopts selectivity in hiring. 1 2 3 4 5
The focus of staffing in firm is for
a) Manual and Physical skills 1 2 3 4 5
b) Technical skills 1 2 3 4 5
c) Problem solving skills 1 2 3 4 5
3. Incentives Practices
Firm has favorable incentive practices to encourage employees to achieve
the firms objectives.
1 2 3 4 5
Firm has very fair incentive practices, aimed at rewarding people who
accomplish their goals.
1 2 3 4 5
Firm has incentive practices which really recognize people who contribute
the most to firm.
1 2 3 4 5
4. Performance Appraisal
Firm uses performance based appraisal. 1 2 3 4 5
Firm uses employees self-ratings on performance. 1 2 3 4 5
Superiors in firm frequently discuss performance with subordinates. 1 2 3 4 5
5. Training Program
Extensive training programs are provided for employees in firm. 1 2 3 4 5
Employees normally go through various training programs every year. 1 2 3 4 5
Firm provides formal training to promote skills to new hires as well as to
promoted or existing employees.
1 2 3 4 5
6. Team work
Firm always gets teams opinion and ideas before making any decision. 1 2 3 4 5
Firm forms focused groups to solve problems. 1 2 3 4 5
Teams are extensively provided with sufficient power and resources to solve
problems.
1 2 3 4 5
7. Employee Participation
In firm, employees are allowed to make many decisions. 1 2 3 4 5
Employees are often asked by their supervisors to participate in decisions. 1 2 3 4 5
Employees are encouraged to suggest improvement in the way jobs are
done.
1 2 3 4 5
Supervisors keep open communication with employees in firm. 1 2 3 4 5


Section 2: Operational Performance

Please CIRCLE the level of achievement on each of the items below with
regard to four dimensions of firms operational performance.
Level
of
Achiev
ement

Ver
y
Low
Lo
w
N
eu
tra
l
Hi
gh
Ver
y
High
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-

1. Product Quality
Rate the level of -
a) Firms high performance products.

1

2

3

4

5
b) Non-defective rate of firms products. 1 2 3 4 5
c) Product Serviceability, Durability & Quality. 1 2 3 4 5

2. Product Cost
Rate the ability to reduce -
a) Product Inspection

1

2

3

4

5
b) Inventory cost involvement 1 2 3 4 5
c) Overhead Cost 1 2 3 4 5
d) Product Cost 1 2 3 4 5
3. Delivery
Rate the level of -
a) Products on-time delivery to customers

1

2

3

4

5
b) Short lead time from order to delivery 1 2 3 4 5
c) Cycle time (From Production to final product) 1 2 3 4 5
4. Flexibility
Rate the level of ability to -
a) Adopt changes in product mix.

1

2

3

4

5
b) Handle difficult/non standard orders. 1 2 3 4 5
c) Make product according to order. 1 2 3 4 5
d) Adjust capacity quickly. 1 2 3 4 5
e) Scale production up and down quickly. 1 2 3 4 5


Section 3: Firm Performance

Please CIRCLE the level of achievement on each of the items below with
regard to firms performance.
Level
of
Achiev
ement

Ver
y
Low
Lo
w
N
eu
tra
l
Hi
gh
Ver
y
High
----
-------
-------
-------
-

1. Non-Financial Performance
Compared to past year, rate the level of -
a) Increase in employee productivity.

1

2

3

4

5
b) Reduction in employee absenteeism. 1 2 3 4 5

2. Financial Performance
Compared to your competitors what is firms -
a) Sale Growth Rate.

1

2

3

4

5
b) Market Share Percentage. 1 2 3 4 5

Section 4: Business Operations Modes
For the following questions, please CIRCLE one of the boxes according to the degree of achievement
or adoption of firm. There are two sides of each factor, left & right. Respondent should choose one
between the left & right and rate with five degrees, ranging from1,2,3,4 to 5 which means (5) Very
High, (4) High, (3) Moderate, (2) Low&(1) Very Low. If the level of achievement or adoption of firm
between 2 sides (left & right) makes no difference or is currently not adopted, then please CIRCLE
zero (0) number.

1. Centralization versus Decentralization
Firm transfers responsibilities 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 Firm transfers responsibilities
to higher level. to lower level.

Communication among 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 Employees have greater
employees is not extensive. communication among them.

2. Trust versus Distrust
Employees only understand 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 Employees understand
their own behaviours. each others behaviour.

Employees care about their 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 Employees feel sense of
own responsibilities only. responsibilities for each other.

3. Proactive Culture versus Reactive Culture
Decision making is late to 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 Decision making is fast
take any action & in to take action & in
conservative manner. innovative manner.

Firm is unresponsive to 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 Firm is responsive to
change in business change in business
environment. environment.

Section 5: Company Information
1. Number of employees: less than 50 50 to 100 101 to 150
151 to 200 More than 200
2. Class of firm: Local Foreign/Export Joint Venture
Oriented
3. Years of Operation: less than 5 5 to 10 11 to 15
16 to 20 More than 20
4. Firms Sale Volume: ______________________ (Rs.)
5. Industry Type: Manufacturing Service Bank
Others, please specify_______________________________
6. Major Products (Atleast one product): _______________/_______________/_____________



Section 6: Personal Information
1. Sex: Male Female
2. Age: less than 30 30 to 40 41 to 50
51 to 60 More than 60
3. Education Level: Bachelor Master Doctor
Others, please specify_______________________________
4. Position/Title: Entrepreneur Employee Supervisor
Manager President & Vice President
Others, please specify_______________________________
5. Seniority: ______________________years

Thank you very much indeed for your time and effort filling in this questionnaire. We wish you good
health and luck. We would like to inform you that this questionnaire is anonymous. Your personal
information will never be disclosed to outsiders.