Question 1
IKEA uses internal and external methods of recruitment to select a wide range of employees from managers to shop assistants.
IKEA uses internal and external methods of recruitment to select a wide range of employees from managers to shop assistants. Evaluate which of these recruitment methods is likely to be the most effective for IKEA.
Indicative content guidance
Answers must be credited by using the level descriptors (below) in line with the
general marking guidance. The indicative content below exemplifies some of
the points that candidates may make but this does not imply that any of these
must be included. Other relevant points must also be credited.
Knowledge, Application, Analysis, Evaluation - indicative content
Internal recruitment
- Internal recruitment is when the business looks to fill a job vacancy from
within the company.
- IKEA are expanding rapidly and is looking for creative, enthusiastic people
who can contribute towards their sales growth.
- It is more cost efficient as the business does not have to advertise the job
externally. This will help IKEA keep costs and prices low to enable them to
remain competitive in the market.
- By recruiting internally, IKEA know the capabilities of the candidate, ie
whether they are creative and enthusiastic and have a better idea of how
they will perform in this new role. Enthusiastic staff may provide better
customer service and boost sales.
- Promoting staff from within the company can be motivating for all
employees who will recognise that their hard work is rewarded and so
increase productivity of the business.
- IKEA will know if the internal candidate is likely to fit the IKEA culture and get
on well with the rest of the team. Good teamwork is required to improve
productivity and customer service.
- However, internal recruitment will not bring fresh ideas or new thinking into
the business. Recruiting internally will create further vacancies which will
eventually need to be filled externally.
External recruitment
- External recruitment is when the business looks to fill the vacancy from
outside of the business.
- May be preferable because IKEA prides itself on creative and innovative
products and recruiting externally may mean there are new ideas or energy
coming into the business.
- Whilst IKEA has 190,000 workers internal recruitment still limits the potential
number of candidates that they can choose from. External recruitment
offers a wider pool of potential talent to choose from.
- However, external recruitment is expensive and a long process and there is
no guarantee you will find the right person to fit in with IKEA's values.
- Different job roles will require different skills and IKEA must assess if these
skills can be found internally or whether external recruitment is required.
- IKEA would have to look at the effectiveness of internal and external
recruitment to see historically which candidates have performed the best
and contributed the most to growth.
- IKEA is likely to use a combination of both when recruiting staff depending
on the job requirements. Also when opening a new store they may have no
option but to recruit externally to fill all of the job roles required.
Level
Mark
Descriptor
0
No rewardable material.
Level 1
1-4
Isolated elements of knowledge and understanding.
Weak or no relevant application of business examples.
An argument may be attempted, but will be generic and fail to connect causes and/or consequences.
Level 2
5-8
Elements of knowledge and understanding, which are applied to the business example.
Arguments and chains of reasoning are presented but connections between causes and/or consequences are incomplete. Attempts to address the question.
A comparison or judgement may be attempted but it will not successfully show an awareness of the key features of business behaviour or business situation.
Level 3
9-14
Accurate and thorough knowledge and understanding, supported throughout by relevant and effective use of the business behaviour/context.
Uses developed chains of reasoning, so that causes and/or consequences are complete, showing an understanding of the question.
Arguments are well developed.
Quantitative and/or qualitative information is introduced in an attempt to support judgements, a partial awareness of the validity and/or significance of competing arguments and may lead to a conclusion.
Level 4
15-20
Accurate and thorough knowledge and understanding, supported throughout by relevant and effective use of the business behaviour/context.
Uses well-developed and logical, coherent chains of reasoning, showing a range of cause and/or effect(s).
Arguments are fully developed.
Quantitative and/or qualitative information is/are used well to support judgements. A full awareness of the validity and significance of competing arguments/factors, leading to balanced comparisons,
judgements and an effective conclusion that proposes a solution
and/or recommendations.