Organizational Issues and Solutions

 

Overview

Leaders address issues and propose solutions. As a leader, you’ll need to stay on top of events that may facilitate or hinder productivity. You must create and implement solutions to address these issues.

In the assignment preparation, you chose an organization, described its organizational issue, and identified how it hinders organization efficiency. This assignment exposes you to complex modern organizational challenges. The solutions you devise should reflect your learning and research of organizational and individual influences in the workplace.

Instructions

The new CEO has selected your consulting firm to provide an analysis of the organizational efficiency.

Write a 2–3 page, double-spaced paper in which you will present to the CEO your findings during your research steps. You must propose strategic solutions in your paper to include the following:

  1. Describe the organization and the issue to resolve:
    • Provide a brief description of the organization you selected.
    • Present the organizational issue that adversely affected productivity and that you, the consultant, will review and resolve.
    • This information can be summarized from your assignment preparation last week. Make sure to incorporate any feedback that you received from your instructor.
  2. Analyze current corporate culture:
    • How has the current corporate culture facilitated the development of the current issue? Research the organization, dig into the culture, and analyze how it contributed to this issue. Hint: Review the mission and vision statements as well as the corporate Web site.
  3. Identify areas of weakness:
    • What are the organization’s areas of weakness as they relate to the issue? Apply your research on organizational behavior approaches to aspects of corporate culture—such as diversity, teamwork, and motivational strategies—to help identify the areas of weakness.
  4. Propose solutions:
    • What organizational practices would you modify? What solutions would you recommend to management that would help solve the identified weaknesses? As a consultant, you will identify the suggestions and solutions you would present to the organization’s leadership with regard to modifying current organizational practices to resolve the issue.
  5. References and citations:
    • Provide at least two quality resources such as the course textbook, a company Web site, business Web sites (CNBC, Bloomberg, etc.), resources from the Strayer Library, and/or outside sources. Note: Wikipedia and Web-based blogs do not qualify as credible resources.
    • You can find in-depth and quality company information using the Nexis Uni database through the Strayer University Online Library.
    • In-text citations are required when paraphrasing or quoting another source.
  6. Formatting and writing standards:
    • This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards. For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course.

Confidentiality:Since you will be addressing real issues in real organizations in your assignments, it is important to respect confidentiality. Feel free to use an alias for any company or individuals you might mention in your assignments. Remember that all discussions about these organization should only occur within this course and not be shared with people outside the course.

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

  • Propose a solution for an organizational culture issue.

Human Resources Management

CASE 4: GOING TO THE X-STREAM

By Roy Smollan, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Gil Reihana was the chief executive officer of X-Stream, a company he launched in Auckland, New Zealand, six years ago at the age of 25, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in information technology and management. He had inherited $300,000 and had persuaded various family members to invest additional money. X-Stream assembled personal computers for the New Zealand and Australian markets and sold them through a number of chain stores and independent retailers. The company had soon established a reputation for quality hardware, customized products, excellent delivery times and after-sales service.Six months ago it had started a software division, specializing in webpage design and consulting on various applications for the development of electronic business.

Gil was driven by a desire to succeed. He had started working part-time at an electronics retailer at age 16 and in his spare time took apart old computers in his garage to see how they were made. He was extroverted, energetic, and enthusiastic, often arriving at work by 5 a.m. and seldom leaving before 7 p.m. He felt that work should be challenging but fun too. He had initially picked a young senior management team that he thought shared his outlook. A casual, almost irreverent atmosphere developed. However, a poorly organized accounting department led to the replacement of the first accountant after two years. Gil believed that major decisions should be made by consensus and that individuals should then be empowered to implement these decisions in their own way. In the beginning he had met with each staff member in January to discuss with them how happy they were in their jobs, what their ambitions were, and what plans they would like to make for the coming year in terms of their own professional development. These one-on-one meetings became more difficult as the company grew, so senior management team members were eventually delegated the task of conducting reviews with their own staff.

However, Gil was unsure whether every manager was actually performing the reviews or how well they were working. Now he tried to keep in touch with staff by having lunch with them in the cafeteria occasionally. Denise Commins (affectionately known to all staff as Dot Com) was the chief financial officer. She and Gil could not be more different. Denise was quiet, methodical, and very patient. Her superb interpersonal skills complemented a highly analytical mind. At 55, she was considerably older than most of the employees and often showed a strong maternal side. Many of her team (and several from other departments as well) frequently consulted her on work issues and personal problems too. She enjoyed the informal relationships she had built up but found that the technical aspects of her role were becoming less rewarding.

Don Head, the marketing manager, was considered to be a rather ruthless operator, often undercutting the competition in terms of price, and, on more than one occasion, by circulating false rumors of defects in their products. He deemed himself “a ladies’ man” and was known to flirt with a number of the staff. A case of sexual harassment had been dropped after a 22-year-old secretary had been paid a sizeable sum of money. Gil and the members of the senior management team had been furious but Don had denied any wrongdoing, claiming that she had “led him on.” Don had been at university with Gil and they spent many hours after work at a pub around the corner from the factory. With sales rising year after year, his marketing expertise and cunning were regarded as essential to the company’s continuing growth. He had a department of eight whom he had carefully screened as ambitious self-starters. They were required to set and achieve their own targets, as long as they were “big hairy ambitious goals,” a phrase he had heard at a seminar.

Jason Palu, the production manager, was a soft spoken man who had started as a supervisor and who had quickly worked his way to the top position. He set extremely high standards for the production staff and was considered to be a perfectionist. He was highly regarded by his colleagues for his efficiency and reliability. There were very few occasions when an order could not be fulfilled on time and his goal was zero defects. He tended to be autocratic and some people complained that he never listened to them, allocated work hours that did not suit people, and often required staff to work (paid) overtime on very short notice. When one production worker complained, he tersely remarked that “we have a job to carry out and we just have to get on with it. The company depends on us.”

Heather Berkowitz was the chief webpage designer. She had blue hair, a ring through her nose, and she dressed in exotic clothes that had been sourced from a number of secondhand stores. She seldom arrived at work much before 11 a.m. and often left before 4 p.m. She said she did her best work at home, often at night, so why should she “punch the clock like the drones on the assembly line”? Gil and others had often received e-mails from her that had been sent at all hours of the night. She had established a reputation as a top webpage designer, and although her physical appearance did not go down too well with some of the company’s clients (or staff) the quality and quantity of her work was extremely high.

On Tuesdays at 9 a.m. the senior staff met to discuss weekly plans and any significant issues that had arisen. All employees were invited to the meeting, and some accepted this opportunity to attend. Gil trusted all staff to keep confidential matters within the company. He believed that if the organization shared information with employees they would be more likely to support management decisions. The meetings lacked formality and usually started with some jokes, usually at the expense of some members of staff. By and large the jokes were meant to be inoffensive, but were not always taken that way. Nicknames were often assigned to staff, mostly by Don Head, some quite derogatory. You were thought to be a “wet blanket” if you objected. Don seemed oblivious to the unflattering nickname he had been given, preferring to call himself Braveheart, sometimes even signing memos in this fashion.

Although employment agreements referred to a 40-hour week there was an expectation that staff would put in substantially more than that. Only the assembly line workers had to clock in and out, but this, Jason had explained, was due to the overtime that assembly staff were required to work to meet deadlines. The overtime pay was welcomed by some production staff and resented by some employees in other departments who believed they should be entitled to the same benefits. Recently a conflict had arisen between Jason and Don. The company had been developing for some time a top-of-the-range laptop which was scheduled for launching in two weeks’ time. Jason had been urging senior management to delay the introduction of the new X-MH until some glitches had been sorted out. A batch of chips acquired from abroad had contained some defective features. Jason wanted to postpone the new model until these problems had been completely sorted out, a process which he believed would take another month. Don found this to be unacceptable.

A former New Zealand rugby team (All Blacks) captain had been contracted to attend the launch and market the new model on a roadshow that would travel to New Zealand and Australia’s main cities. He would not be available at the time Jason was prepared to release the X-MH. At a heated staff meeting, some of the senior staff backed Don, while others agreed with Jason. Don had urged all of his department to attend the meeting, to present a united front and convey an image of power.

Heather Berkowitz had arrived halfway through the meeting and with a mouthful of muffin proclaimed that there was no rush to get out the “new toy.” The company had plenty of other issues to which it could devote its energy. She said she had met the head of information technology of a chain of fast-food restaurants that wanted to revitalize its website. She maintained she needed three extra staff to get this up and running. She left the meeting five minutes later. Don was fuming at the interruption and demanded that Gil should stick to the original launch date of the X-MH. Gil calmly replied that he understood Don’s frustration but that more consultation was necessary. He said that it would be discussed by the parties concerned during the week and a final decision would be made at the following Tuesday’s staff meeting. Don spent the rest of the day lobbying other members of the senior staff. He offered Dorothy the use of his beach cottage if she backed him and promised to support her on the acquisition of expensive new accounting software. She just laughed and said that she was convinced the senior management team would approve the new software. She also informed Don that a member of her staff had seen one of his sales representatives entering a strip joint the previous week at a time when the sales force had been engaged in a staff meeting.

Other problems had arisen in recent months. Ramesh Patel, the newly recruited head of e-business applications had, with help from a personal contact, developed a software program that would help hotels and restaurants source products and services over the Internet. It was beginning to generate useful revenue. His contact had now billed X-Stream for $25,000 in consultancy fees and development costs. Ramesh claimed that his contact had owed him a favor and that no mention of money had ever been made. X-Stream had referred the matter to its legal counsel. Les Kong, the research and development manager (hardware), had complained to Gil that he could no longer work under Jason Palu. While he considered him a very pleasant man, and a very capable production manager, he could no longer tolerate his strict control style. “You can’t do creative work on command!” was his lament. He loved his job and had spent hours over several weekends developing and refining a new product. There was considerable resentment from Jason and Don about the resources that had been invested in the software division, partly because they did not see the need for the company to diversify and partly because they claimed that money was being diverted from their departments to fund the new ventures.

Ramesh claimed that “a good e-business starts at home—we should open up all our procurement via the Internet.” His suggestion did not go down well with Jason and Don. Gil had been pondering the structure of X-Stream for some time. The old functional structure no longer seemed appropriate. “Silo” mentality and departmental interests seemed to predominate and turf wars took place. The company had grown to 64 staff in New Zealand and 8 in Australia. The ongoing development of new hardware and the introduction of the software side of the business had made management tasks somewhat complicated. He missed the old days when he knew every member of staff. The informal decision-making that was characteristic of the business might have to give way to more formal processes. Yet he did not want to lose the creativity that underpinned its success. Despite the open invitation to attend the management meetings, many staff complained that they never knew what was going on. He expected all senior managers to keep their departmental staff informed of developments. Some had done this admirably, while others had virtually ignored his wishes.

A human resources manager, Alkina Bennelong, had been appointed a month previously and reported to Denise Commins. She had been reviewing the company’s loosely worded job descriptions and person specifications and the recruitment and selection systems and had suggested more professional but more elaborate approaches. She had also suggested the introduction of a performance management system, including feedback from peers, direct reports and outsiders, such as suppliers and customers. “Over my dead body!” was the retort of Don Head. “How can you allow subordinates to tell you how to do your job?” queried Jason Palu. “Can’t see what the fuss is all about,” said Heather Berkowitz. “Everybody keeps telling me what to do anyway, even though they don’t understand the first thing about my job! But it doesn’t worry me.”

Discuss, and examine the implications of the following questions:

  • What is your diagnosis of the situation in the company and the accounting department? Use 4 theories from chapters 1-4 in the textbook to diagnose the situation.
  • What interventions would you recommend and why?
  • For your preferred intervention, develop an action plan

Reference to Organizational Behavior By Mcshane 7th edition and other 3 scholarly references

Required questions should serve as headings. This paper will contain a minimum of four scholarly sources, one reference may be the textbook. 

-12-point Font; New Times Roman; Double Spaced; 1” Margins

-APA Format with regard to citations; Reference page required. APA Running Head or Abstract are not required. 

-Development of Main Points – Quality of Writing 

5 pages including reference page, use (MS Word)

assignment for HR

  

· The Assignment must be submitted on Blackboard (WORD format only) via allocated folder.

· Assignments submitted through email will not be accepted.

· Students are advised to make their work clear and well presented, marks may be reduced for poor presentation. This includes filling your information on the cover page.

· Students must mention question number clearly in their answer.

· Late submission will NOT be accepted.

· Avoid plagiarism, the work should be in your own words, copying from students or other resources without proper referencing will result in ZERO marks. No exceptions. 

· All answered must be typed using Times New Roman (size 12, double-spaced) font. No pictures containing text will be accepted and will be considered plagiarism).

· Submissions without this cover page will NOT be accepted. 

Assignment Workload: 

· This Assignment comprise of a short Case.

· Assignment is to be submitted by each student individually.

Assignment Purposes/Learning Outcomes: 

After completion of Assignment- students will able to understand the 

Lo 1.1-Demonstrate overall Human Resource concepts, goals and strategies within the context of organizations goals and strategies.

Lo 1.6 & 1.7-Demonstrate a thorough understanding of an HR Strategic planning which includes Effective job analysis, Recruitment and selection strategies.

· Please read the Case “For Personal Financial advisors, A Small Staffing Plan with a Big Impact” at the end of Chapter 5 (page 224), “Human Resource Planning and Recruitment” available in your textbook Human Resource Management: Gaining A Competitive Advantage-Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright,11e., and answer the following questions:

Incentive Program – Do they work?

Chapter 15 of our text talks about bucks for behavior.  We’ll be introduced to the notion that the type of behavior we reward is the type of behavior we will get.  Take a moment to contemplate this concept then look at your own or previous employers and the “bucks” you received.  What kind of behavior did the rewards you received prompt in you?  Emma wants to have a discussion on what kinds of behaviors various types of rewards will elicit in CM Tech employees.  

  • In your initial discussion post share with your classmates three types of rewards (base pay, overtime pay, profit bonus, sales bonus, project bonuses, piece pay, vacation, the sky is really the limit.) and what kind of behavior you think each type of reward would elicit from CM Tech employees.  Do you think those three would be effective?  Why or why not?  In your responses to your peers expand on your agreement or disagreement with the behaviors the types of rewards would elicit and share any experiences you have had with the reward types the group has shared.
  • Support your initial post with at least one scholarly reference.    

quick answer week 2

Write a 175- to 265-word response to the following questions:

  • How will effective business communication skills be used during your work on learning teams in your BSHM program? In the health care industry? Provide details.

essay

Choose one title from the following:

1. Describe and evaluate some of the major factors that have been influencing the supply and demand for food in recent years. What are the main reasons for some of these factors? You could include such topics as food scarcity, food prices and volatility. 

2. Discuss the important aspects of food related to a religion with which you are familiar.

3. Evaluate the factors that influence food habits and culture. 

4. Explain the rationale behind “California cuisine”. Assess the role of different chefs in the development of California cuisine.

5. Present a reasoned argument for and against the fast food industry in the US. You may include the advantages such as economic and social advantages, along with the disadvantages including increases in obesity, types of employment, etc.

6. Should the fast food industry be regulated in a similar manner to the tobacco industry? Explain the factors behind your reasoning.

7. In your view, how sustainable is the so called “western diet”

8. Describe and evaluate Native Americans’ perspectives on life. This may be from a particular tribe or more generally.  You may include such aspects of the environment, health, the family, religion and diet.

9. Describe some of the most important changes that have taken place in wine production in the new and old world over the past three to four decades.

10. Evaluate the major effects that prohibition had for the American wine industry

11. What were the major effects of the Judgment of Paris of 1976 on Californian wines?

12. Taste a sample wine and use the deductive tasting structure explained in class. Comment specifically on clarity, brightness and other color characteristics, along with the nose and the palette. Give details of the grape varity(ies), vintage, producer etc. Does the wine have the characteristics discussed in class? Which types of food would you recommend to compliment/contrast with the wine? (Note you must be of legal age to be able to consume alcohol (21 years old) and to complete this assignment.

13. Explain some of the norms with food and wine pairing and put together a sample menu showing dishes with the wines chosen. Explain your reasoning behind the choice of wines for the food. Are they meant to complement or contrast the food? This could be a classical menu, fusion food or food from your own country.

14. Evaluate one of the new food movements such as FRESH!, slow food, raw food, etc. Amongst other things you may explain the aims and objectives of their organization, the method of getting their message across, the prime prospects for the organization and future direction of the movement.

15. Investigate urban farming. Outline some examples and evaluate the major advantages and disadvantages of urban farming.

16. Read the following article  on farm – to- table available at:http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/07/30/539112692/a-chefs-plea Discuss the major themes in the article on authenticity of farm-to-table, immigrant labor, food affordability etc. You may supplement the reading with your own research.

Unit VIII Case study

 

Instructions

To read the case study below, please click the link and log into the CSU Online Library.

Bodolica, V., & Waxi, M. (2007). Chicago food and beverage company: The challenges of managing international assignments. Journal of the International Academy for Case Studies, 13(3), 31-42. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/docview/216279533?accountid=33337

Please answer the following questions after reading the case study:

  1. Which staffing framework do you recognize in this case study? Explain its characteristics and the advantages to using this type of framework?
  2. Would this type of staffing framework affect Paul’s ability to get things done? Why, or why not?
  3. Explain if any of the other staffing frameworks would be any better? What can you recommend to the company’s headquarters in this sense?
  4. Why does Paul want this job? Is Paul a good candidate for this expatriate position?
  5. What comments can you make on expatriate management in general? And what comments can you make on the expatriate recruitment policy in particular?
  6. What are the different expatriate compensation methods you recognized in the text? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these different expatriate compensation methods?
  7. What do you suggest to the U.S. headquarters’ human resources manager in order to improve the expatriate satisfaction/compensation?

Your submission should be a minimum of three pages in length in APA style; however, a title page, a running head, and an abstract are not required. Be sure to cite and reference all quoted or paraphrased material appropriately in APA style.

Analysis on the Effects of Population Growth

  

MY Country I pick to write about  is Jamaica

Imagine you have been hired as a consultant for the United Nations. You have been asked to write an analysis on how global population growth has caused the following problem and how it affects a developing country of your choosing:

A growing global population that consumes natural resources is partially to blame for the release of greenhouse gases since human consumption patterns lead to deforestation, soil erosion, and farming (overturned dirt releases CO2). However, the critical issue is the burning of fossil fuels (hydrocarbons) such as coal oil and natural gas to produce energy that is used for things like electricity production, and vehicle, heating, and cooking fuels. 

The U.N. has asked that your paper contain three sections. It has asked that each section be one page (or approximately 300 words) in length and answer specific questions, identified in the outline below. It also asks that you use examples from your developing country when answering the questions.

Introduction

Provide an introduction of half a page minimum that addresses points points 1–5 below:

  1. Explain the problem the U.N. has asked you to address in your own words.
  2. Identify the three sections your paper will cover.
  3. Identify the developing country you will consider.
  4. Telly the U.N. which causes of greenhouse gases you will explore.
  5. Provide a one-sentence statement of your solutions at the end of your introduction paragraph.
Section I. Background
  1. What are greenhouse gases?
  2. How do greenhouse gases contribute to global warming?
Section II. How Emissions Causes Problems for the Developing World
  1. Which countries produce the most greenhouse gases?
  2. What are the economic challenges of these emissions (include examples from your chosen country)?
  3. What are the security challenges of these emissions (include examples from your chosen country)?
  4. What are the political challenges of these emissions (include examples from your chosen country)?
Section III. Causes and Solutions of Greenhouse Gases
  1. Name two causes of greenhouse gases.
  2. What are potential solutions to address each of the causes you identified?
  3. What is the relationship between population control and greenhouse gases?
Conclusion

 

Formatting Requirements
  • Make sure your paper consists of 4–6 pages (1,200 words minimum, not including the cover page, reference page, and quoted material if any).
  • Create headings for each section of your paper as follows:
    • Section I. Background.
    • Section II. How Emissions Causes Problems for the Developing World.
    • Section III. Causes and Solutions for Greenhouse Gases.
  • Use and cite at least five credible sources in your research. A list of potential resources is available below.

This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards. For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Potential Resources

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is as follows:

  • Evaluate the global impacts of, and potential controls for, population growth.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic/organization of the paper, and language and writing skills.

I need help with this assignment from HRM/498T Strategic Human Resource Management and Emerging Issues

 1. E-Tronics is a well-established, publicly traded  manufacturing company that has been in business for over 50 years.  E-Tronics is reviewing a potential acquisition of a manufacturing plant  of 120 employees in India. This would be E-Tronics’ first time having a  physical operation in India. As part of the review of labor, the Chief  Human Resources Officer (CHRO) recommends an environmental scan as part  of the long-term planning for the operation. Why is this the best  approach to recommend?   

  •   Environmental scanning allows the company to evaluate what  environmental, health, and safety protocols need to be implemented at  the new plant.
  •   Environmental scanning allows the company to review both the domestic  laws and foreign laws of the new country to understand what changes need  to be made to the employee handbook.
  •   Environmental scanning allows the company to assess the tax advantages  of the new business to see how favorable the stock will respond as part  of this new acquisition.
  •   Environmental scanning allows the company to examine both the  demographic and social factors of the labor force to understand how the  future of employment looks.

2. A new Operations Manager at E-Tronics would like to get a  head start on recruiting for an upcoming role that will have key  oversight of the new assembly line. He already has one person in mind  that he feels will be perfect for the role based on his past experience.  As the HR Manager asks more about the candidate, she learns that both  the Operations Manager and the candidate went to college together and  have been best friends since college. She also learns that they have  never worked together before. What is the appropriate guidance the HR  Manager should consider?   

  •   Research indicates that people are more likely to quit because of a  manager than because of any other variable. Considering the candidate  and hiring manager already have a good relationship, this candidate  already has a great chance of success and should be allowed to continue  on in the process.
  •   The HR Manager is responsible for all recruitment initiatives and  should step in and take the place of the hiring manager. The Operations  Manager is already too biased to make the appropriate decision.
  •   In order for an organization to meet its long-term goals, it must have  the proper mix of employees with the right knowledge, skills, and  abilities. The HR Manager should stress this importance while looking  closely at all candidates.
  •   If the candidate is selected, the HR manager keep a close eye on the  relationship as the candidate progresses through onboarding and  orientation. If feedback is provided down the road that things aren’t  working, the HR Manager will have all the documentation needed.

3. E-Tronics is pursuing the India plant acquisition and is  working with current plant management to review all operational details.  As part of the process, the plant management that is being acquired is  asking for solutions for a way to track all employee data and  transactions. What recommendations should the new HR department make?   

  •   The HR department should recommend a new HRIS that is built for  businesses that have between 50–250 employees. As the site has 120  employees, this will fit perfectly for the plant.
  •   The HR department should leverage the currently existing HRIS platform,  which has the scalability to provide specific features for a plant as  little as 120.
  •   The HR department should recommend a partnership with the IT department  to build from scratch a homegrown system that fits the criteria of the  current environment. This allows for a unique cross-functional project  and will highlight how the parent company can work with the newly  acquired plant.
  •   The HR department should allow plant management to keep personal  records and notes and postpone the solution 1–2 years until the  post-integration phase is completed.

4. The Global Vice President of Operations prefers to keep a  close eye on things and ultimately have his hand in all processes. He  has asked not only to have visibility into all HRIS transactions for the  company but that he has approvals on every transaction as well. The  complexity of this request is quite high. How should the HRIS team  handle the situation?   

  •   The team should caution the leader on the time waste it may be for him  but provide an alternative option in which access is given to his  executive assistant. The leader can then receive updates on what  transactions are taking place with the filtering done by the assistant.
  •   The team should provide the leader with visibility and approval chain  access because the company believes in honesty and transparency. The  leader is one of the main advocates of this value statement.
  •   The team should advise the leader who should have access and in what  transactions having visibility and approvals make sense. HR can help  minimize stress for business leaders, not make it worse.
  •   The team should provide an alternative option of having daily reports  sent to the leader with the data aggregated and summarized because HRIS  systems enable countless transactions to be processed on a daily basis.  This will be the most efficient use of the leader’s time.

5. The Assembly Manager, who has been with the company for  only three months, previously came from a small specialty fabrication  shop of 20 people. He has commented on doing the upcoming fiscal year’s  strategic planning for his department on his own because that was the  process he was used to at his previous company. What are the risks of  this business leader conducting this review without the HR department’s  influence?   

  •   The process doesn’t actually need HR advice at the department level. HR  provides the best value when looking at entire businesses, not  departments.
  •   The process would lack the strategic value provided by HR professionals  in understanding the employment landscape, walking business leaders  through human capital forecasting, and executing the day-to-day staffing  requirements.
  •  The process would lack the legal knowledge required to ensure the Assembly department doesn’t break employment laws.
  •   The process would miss out on accurate employee engagement activities  such as parties and community service days, which need to be built into  the plan for next year.   

6. At a recent roundtable discussion, the HR Manager heard  several employees talk about their goals for internal promotions,  further professional development, and the desire to reach higher career  milestones. As the HR Manager goes through this feedback, what is the  best action she can recommend?   

  •   She can begin processing their transfers to the roles they have  identified and ensure each employee knows that E-Tronics takes action  when employees speak.
  •   She can ask the respective managers to follow up with each employee and  ensure that they work out a plan. Managers are in the best position to  help their employees with career goals.
  •   She can write up an individual development plan (IDP) for each employee  and provide it to them so that they can begin their path to the next  opportunity.
  •   She can analyze succession planning as part of a short-range plan to  see how many of these employees are ready for the next role up, need  further development, or still need more time to develop in their current  role.    

7. E-Tronics is now in place in the India plant. During the  job analysis discussion, the Plant Manager recommended to the interim HR  Manager that each person be evaluated in their roles because each of  their tasks and skills is very different. The Plant Manager feels this  will have a personal touch for each employee, which is important. What  is important to consider as the interim HR Manager determines how best  to support this process?   

  •   Cultural trends at the plant have indicated Indian culture thrives on  individuality. It is important for company processes to honor this and  therefore have specific job levels and roles for each individual.
  •   Appropriate categorization requires a thorough review of all jobs  throughout the company worldwide. The interim HR Manager needs to work  with the Global HR leadership team to review all profiles.
  •   Appropriate categorization requires looking at broader job levels,  rather than individual people and consequently assigning a role to  several people within a job level.
  •   In order to save time on the process, the HR Manager can have other  team leads and managers help out by asking each of their team members  for these job details. They can then summarize and send this data to the  HR Manager for record keeping.    

8. As part of the process for understanding the current  profile of employees, the HR Manager develops a questionnaire for each  employee to fill out. The survey asks an array of questions, including  items such as language skills, educational background, job history, and  personal interests and hobbies. Some concerns have been brought up by  employees indicating that they don’t want to share anything personal  because they don’t fully understand how the information will be used.  How can the HR Manager best respond to concerns of this nature?   

  •   The HR manager can communicate that because the company wants to  attract and retain the best employees, it needs to understand the  current group of employees to know what profiles to hire in the future.
  •   The HR manager can show how a skills inventory is actually a great tool  for employees so they can evaluate on a peer-to-peer basis what  everyone else is doing and how effective they are in their roles.
  •   The HR manager can communicate openly that a skills inventory is  intended to provide the company a clear snapshot of which employees are  performing well, and which ones are not. While intrusive, it will help  the company succeed in the long run.
  •   The HR manager can describe how a skills inventory allows the company  to understand the knowledge and skills of everyone to help facilitate  greater development for each person. It may also highlight untapped  potential in employees that haven’t been identified.    

9. As part of the manufacturing site’s Annual Operating Plan  (AOP), the business announces a new venture with a sister plant that  will bring in approximately 25% more raw materials with the specific  task of machining the material in the plant. The senior leadership team  is reviewing production and machine capacity over the course of three  years as part of increased demand. How can the HR Director best support  this new business initiative?   

  •   The HR Director can rely on the operation line managers to understand  unit demand and what capacity the current machines have. This  information is then correlated with human capital and a plan is put in  place.
  •  The HR Director can hire 25% more temporary workers. This is shorter term work and the demand will only last three years.
  •   The HR Director can hire 25% more employees in response to the increase  in raw materials. The increase in production needs to have a 1:1 ratio  of human capital.
  •   The HR Director can leverage human capital at the sister plant to  ensure this increase in production hits the daily targets. One of the  most effective ways to make a process efficient is to leverage shared  human capital.   

10. One of the core HR strengths at E-Tronics is the ability to  utilize HR analytics and apply them to operational scenarios. One of  the most frequent requests is for help in forecasting employment needs.  Why is work-load analysis the most accurate way of forecasting  employment needs?   

  •  Work-load analysis utilizes key information such as actual work content and productivity ratios.
  •  Work-load analysis utilizes key information such as probabilistic forecasting and past movement.
  •  Work-load analysis utilizes key information such as statistical relationships amongst employment related data.
  •  Work-load analysis utilizes key information such as quantitative relationships between critical variables.

11. The newly appointed plant HR Manager officially starts in  India. Her first objective is to complete a thorough HR audit and review  details at the site-specific level. While many details are missing, her  review reveals that historical turnover trends show over 80% of  turnover was caused by involuntary separation. How should the HR Manager  proceed?   

  •   The HR Manager should review the selection procedures as well as  specific knowledge and skills currently held by management to evaluate  if better training and supervision is required.
  •   The HR Manager should contact all former employees who left within the  last 12 months and conduct an exit interview. This will help her best  understand the actual reasons for their exit.
  •   The HR Manager should prepare a site-wide presentation reviewing  company benefits and really encourage the new site to consider what  great benefits are offered to them if they remain employed with  E-Tronics.
  •   The HR Manager should contact local competitors for a market analysis  and determine if 80% involuntary turnover is common in the local market.

12. In E-Tronics’ competitive business landscape, business  leaders expect innovative, strategic guidance by knowledgeable experts.  The Plant Manager in Michigan has requested that either the HR Manager  (whom he trusts deeply) or an outside analyst he knows as an expert  provide guidance on the operation’s long-term staffing plan. Why is this  approach one of the least effective for planning?   

  •  Experts rely too much on subjective and anecdotal experiences that don’t provide the most clear guidance.
  •   Expert consulting fees are so high that it takes years to break-even  after receiving consultation services and actually forecasting a better  headcount.
  •  Experts collaborate too much with other subject matters experts and ultimately cannot agree on a single path forward.
  •  Experts that can perfectly understand the context for the business and its specific operations are very difficult to find.   

13. A year into the India acquisition, line leaders highlight  concerns regarding the staffing levels and the quality output of certain  machines. Some machines are running near 98% capacity with many quality  issues while others are running at only 63% with barely any quality  issues. The HR Manager feels confident there is enough historical data  to start highlighting relationships between staffing, machine  utilization, and quality control. Why is a regression analysis an  effective tool for this problem?   

  •  Regression analysis removes the need for short- and middle-range planning because of its high levels of long-term accuracy.
  •   Regression analysis enables the business to look at how specific  variables interact and gives a high degree of confidence in projecting  future needs.
  •   Regression analysis evaluates the line operator job description details  to make sure they are both valid and reliable to what the job is  supposed to be.
  •   Regression analysis helps identify which operators are the most  productive employees and therefore provides information on how to model  future training.

14. E-Tronics has a small plant of only 120 employees in Oregon  that has gone through quite a bit of unrest within the last year. There  have been three restructures and a lot of turnover due to local  competitive pressure. Now that the pressure and the company landscape  have normalized, the plant leadership is attempting to forecast staffing  requirements for the following year. Among many methods to use, why  should the HR Manager be hesitant to recommend the Markov Analysis?   

  •  Markov analysis requires a fairly stable situation with many people in each job category.
  •   Markov analysis requires cross-functional collaboration with key  stakeholders and departments such as Finance to review budgetary  considerations.
  •  Markov analysis requires a highly complex statistical review of three or more variables for the most effective output.
  •  Markov analysis requires multiple sources of experts utilizing the Delphi technique.

15. Business leaders often look to HR for specific guidance on  how to staff a business and avoid unhealthy levels of turnover. HR has  an increasingly important role in mitigating employee movement during  economic downturns, such as in 2008 and 2020, when global markets are in  flux and labor markets are directly impacted. How can HR professionals  add the most value economic downturns?   

  •   Periods of low and/or high unemployment result in inverse turnover  rates as employees either find more suitable options for employment or  stay put until markets normalize. HR professionals can advise and  strategize a business’s plans accordingly.
  •   Spikes in unemployment may make employees panic and cause them to leave  for a more stable company. HR professionals are well positioned to  decrease turnover rates by persuading employees not to leave.
  •   While HR professionals aren’t equipped to look at micro and macro  economic data, it is paramount for HR professionals to have a strong  network to tap into and through which to understand workforce  implications.
  •   HR professionals can advise employees looking to leave of the types of  government assistance programs that are available to them. It is  critical for HR professionals to keep up-to-date on federal and state  programs.

16. Alliance Data is a new start-up looking to rival E-Tronics  in a highly competitive market. While the company only has 150  employees, business leaders would like to use some of the most recent  high tech solutions as a way to get ahead of the game. They recommend to  HR to go all in and invest in the best and most sophisticated planning  systems available. How can HR best respond to business leaders in this  scenario?   

  •   If Operations is willing to pay for sophisticated human resource  planning systems and the necessary resources to manage the process, HR  will agree to the new implementation.
  •   Although technology and tools are useful for a more robust process,  simple stage I modeling that reduces cost and hassle can be just as  effective for a small company looking to grow. HR will stick with stage I  modeling.
  •   The only way to bring in better talent and manage systems more  effectively is through sophisticated human resource planning systems. HR  will invest heavily in systems used by large, successful corporations.
  •   Rather than using sophisticated systems, HR will adopt quick rules of  thumb based on the past experiences of each employee. Given the maturity  of the business, a stage II model will provide the most success.

Moral Philosophies and Cognitive Moral Development”

 

  • Select one (1) moral philosophy (teleology, deontology, relativist  perspective, virtue ethics, or justice) that has influenced the outcome  of an ethical dilemma that you have witnessed. Provide one (1) example  of the way in which this moral philosophy influenced the outcome of an  ethical dilemma in a past or present organization. Note: Please do not identify workplaces or leaders by name.
  • Examine Kohlberg’s stages of moral development. Determine the  stage of Kohlberg’s moral development that your current, or past,  organization and coworkers are in. Provide one (1) example of your  current, or past, organization and coworkers that illustrates the stage  of Kohlberg’s moral development. Note: Please do not identify workplaces or leaders by nam