Case-1-4 Critical Incidents – Supervision: Concepts and Practices of Management : Book Guide

This Document Contains Cases 1 to 4 Part 1 Critical Incidents Critical Incident 1-1 The Opportunity of a Lifetime? Questions for Discussion 1. Evaluate the offer made to Randy Harber. Do you agree that this is the opportunity of a lifetime? Why or why not? Students’ answers will vary. The new project poses a great opportunity for Randy Harber, but it may also have loopholes. There might be problems (language, culture, living conditions, and policies) associated with this project that Randy may not be able to handle. Students can make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of being posted to a job abroad. Family issues may also be considered. 2. What factors should Harber consider, and how should Harber evaluate his career options? Students’ answers will vary. However, some students may suggest that Harber should consider how his family would feel about shifting to a whole new place. He should weigh the pros and cons of moving. He should also try to figure out a way in which he could stay and still manage to get a promotion. If he is going to take up the offer, he should be prepared for the project and should also be able to manage his family. 3. If you were Randy Harber, what would you do and why? (Before you answer these questions, you may want to check some Web sites to get information on Liberia’s history, economy, business and governmental practices, policies, culture, language, and living conditions.) Students’ answers will vary. Students should look up various Web sites and make a list of things that an employee should be prepared for before taking up a job in Liberia. All countries do not have the same culture, practices, policies, languages, and so on. The employee should be able to meet all the expectations the job demands and should also be familiar with the rules and regulations of Liberia. Critical Incident 1-2 Government Brings Reality Close to Home Questions for Discussion 1. What external forces could impact the future of Franklin Hinton’s fast food business? Students’ answers may vary. External forces such as media reports influencing fast food employees, pressure created from competitors, and employees wanting to join labor unions may affect Hinton’s fast food business. Also, students at the local university seemed always to be willing to join any type of social or political protest, which may cause unwanted negative publicity and a potential for losing business. 2. Franklin needs a plan for future success. Define planning as it relates to his business. How will an effective plan help him and his employees be more effective in providing quality service to customers? Students’ answers will vary. Franklin needs to strategically plan for crisis management. An effective plan will help keep things cordial between Franklin and his employees, and if the employees are content, then the service provided to the customers will be of good quality. Franklin must conduct a market research and also find out how other franchises are dealing with this kind of a problem. He should monitor the external environment for forces that are beyond the control of the business that could affect its long-term performance. He could involve his employees in the process of finding a practical and feasible system to follow. He could also research other ways to increase the business’s revenues. 3. Regardless of the situation, employees must understand fully the mission and vision of the company. What do you suggest that Franklin might do to help his employees be the best they can be? Students’ answers will vary. Effective strategic planning usually begins with the development of a mission statement that reflects the philosophy and purpose of the organization as defined by its top leadership. The vision statement should reflect the firm’s core values, priorities, and goals, which can be translated into concrete plans and actions. Franklin should have regular meetings with his employees, communicate with them about the issue, and ask them for their point of view. He should develop and initiate strategic initiatives that support the company’s mission and objectives. He should be able to clarify all their doubts and thus maintain the trust and rapport he initially had with them. 4. In your opinion, if the minimum wage in your state is increased to $10, $12, or $15 an hour, what impact will it have on the fast food industry? Will an increase in the minimum wage have an impact on customer service or quality of product? Discuss. Students’ answers will vary. If the minimum wage in the state has been increased, fast food industries will have to double the wages. This would create an increase in the menu prices, which would result in financial disaster. And if the wages are not met, employees may quit the company, and this would lead to a disproportionate staff and work ratio. A change in the minimum wage would lead to an increase in the supervisory salaries. Also, if the minimum wage is not met, the employees may not provide good-quality customer service, and there may be a decrease in the quality of the product offered. 5. What should Franklin do to prepare for the possibility of a union attempt to organize his employees? Students’ answers will vary. Franklin should plan in advance before crisis strikes. Unions are usually formed because the management fails to respond to employees’ needs effectively. Franklin must cater to his employees’ needs and sort issues out among employees from the very beginning to avoid later confusion. He should monitor employee behavior and be sensitive while communicating with them. 6. If you were Franklin, how would you deal with the uncertainties that could impact the future success of his business and employees? Students’ answers will vary. Planning for the unthinkable (crisis management) is important. The external environment should be constantly monitored for forces that can impact the future success of a business and employees. Regular meetings and the implementation of policies, strategies, and procedures to ensure that the business provides its best performance is of key priority. Dealing with day-to-day issues that could be a hurdle to the business’s success will help maintain a balance when uncertainties arise. Analyzing problems and developing the best alternatives can help deal with issues more easily. Food For Thought Question 1. One of the toughest jobs for supervisors is how to handle worker complaints, particularly when it deals with compensation. In Chapter 14, we discuss resolving complaints. After reading the ideas in Chapter 14, what suggestions do you have for Franklin regarding how he might deal with workers’ complaints about their challenging jobs and minimal pay? Students’ answers will vary. Franklin should develop and use a complaint procedure—a management-designed series of steps for handling employee complaints that usually provides for a number of appeals before a final decision. He should also research the trends in other companies for resolving complaints. Some companies have offered their employees assistance in processing complaints by providing a neutral person or a counselor to serve as an intermediary. Buoyed by several recent court decisions, some large companies have instituted mandatory complaint-resolution procedures whose final step is private arbitration. The importance of the supervisor’s handling of employee complaints at the first step cannot be overemphasized. Open and frank communication between all parties is usually the key element in amicable resolution of a problem. Some major guidelines for supervisors to resolve complaints include the following: make time available, listen patiently and with an open mind, distinguish facts from opinions, determine the real issue, check and consult, avoid setting precedents, exercise self-control, minimize delays in reaching a decision, explain decisions clearly and sensitively, keep records and documents, and do not fear a challenge. Critical Incident 1-3 What to Do with a Druggie? Questions for Discussion 1. What are the issues in this critical incident? The main issues in this critical incident are that the economy showed no signs of recovery and Mike Pearson’s company’s sales were down about 10 percent, and the bottom line was less than 3 percent after taxes, the lowest level in the history of the company, Pearson Construction. Mike Pearson (Pearson’s CEO) and Pat Watts (Pearson’s HR director) fired Donald Summer for violation of Pearson’s drug policy. Donald asked if they would reconsider him if he got clean and Mike and the HR director basically said, “We will have to see when that time comes.” When the time came, Donald asked to be reconsidered but was not accepted because the company was completing and thus ending a $130 million hospital project. Donald was also told that with the current poor economy, they were forced to lay off over 100 employees. Donald swore to sue them, and Mike and Pat wondered if they had made a mistake. 2. Did management do the “right thing” in firing Donald Summer for his actions? (i.e., testing positive for cocaine and oxycodone?) Why or why not? Students’ answers may vary. The management did the right thing in following the company policy and firing Donald for his actions. If they let this fault go unnoticed, then the other employees may take advantage of the system and hold this case as an example to get out of their problems. By firing Donald, the company showed strict regulation and adherence to company policies without exception. 3. What things might management have done before taking the disciplinary actions they did? Students’ answers may vary. The management shouldn’t have given Donald false hopes that he would be employed by them again. They should have had strict regulations that all employees were required to follow without exception. They could possibly have had regular tests to keep a tab on their employees. On finding certain cases, they could have reprimanded and thereafter kept a vigil over the employees found to be at fault. 4. In today’s diverse environment, did management treat Summer ethically? Students’ answers may vary. Some students may agree with the management’s treatment of Summer and say that if they had not taken this action, then it could be taken advantage of by others in future. Others may say that although today’s environment is diverse, care should be taken while formulating rules. Rules shouldn’t be so strict that an employee is not able to work comfortably. However, rules should be feasible both to the employer as well as to the employee. 5. What role, if any, should “reasonable accommodation” play into the decision that was made? Students’ answers may vary. The management has two options: either to fire Donald, or to reasonably accommodate him since he was a long-term employee. By firing the employee, they might receive an unnecessary lawsuit and may face other company issues. By reasonably accommodating, which would be considered an easy way out in this case, the management could avoid the unwanted lawsuit against them. It would then be a win-win situation for both the company as well as the employee. 6. Is there any way that Summer’s actions are protected by the law in your state? Students’ answers may vary as different states have different laws with respect to Summer’s actions. 7. In 50 words or less, highlight what you learned from this Critical Incident. Compare your findings with those of three or more classmates. Is there a difference? Students’ answers may vary. Students’ answers may include that the company could have reasonably accommodated Summer to avoid getting a lawsuit on their hands. If they fired him, they would have to deal with the lawsuit and at the same time take care of the other issues the company was facing. Also, the company should have foreseen the possibility of such incidents and devised a plan to take care of them. Critical Incident 1-4 Black Friday: An Illusion or Reality? Questions for Discussion 1. The planned elimination of jobs by Community Health Care Center will have a profound effect on employee morale. What would you recommend to the management of Community Health Care Center to minimize the impact of the downsizing on employee morale? Students’ answers may vary. The manner in which the HR department deals with those whose jobs have been eliminated and those who have survived is strategic to the success of employee morale and job productivity. It is important for the HR to know what is circulating in the grapevine at all times and to correct the gossip that is potentially eroding employee morale. Having empathy and concern for those who were fired and for those who remain is important. It is the HR’s responsibility to provide as many outplacement services, options, and entitlements as possible to assist those who will be seeking new employment and to physically and emotionally assist those employees who have survived the strain of doing more with less. 2. Using the Internet, find ways to identify what other organizations have done to soften the blow on their eliminated employees. Students’ answers may vary. Students may include the followings points in their answers: the HR of a company could meet with all supervisors to explain the situation in detail and the depth of the cuts. It should be communicated that the cuts are deep and vast and that all employees would be potentially affected. Communicating before the news is broken would have prepared the employees for this harsh reality and for some, softened the blow of the elimination of their job or the opportunity to retire. Matching the way the message is conveyed to the motivational style of the employee (positive or negative) is another method to soften the blow. Students may also mention that being compassionate, laying out the facts, and providing career counselling are also important factors in softening the blow on an organization’s eliminated employees. 3. Review the previous chapters and make a list of six things that Community Health Care Center could do to empower the remaining employees to be the best they can be. Students’ answers will vary. However, the following points may be included in their answers. Involving employees in the decision-making process of the company empowers them. Appreciating the remaining employees, keeping a tab on their work, and giving feedback on their projects helps maintain a connection between the management and the employees. Having regular meetings and keeping employees up to date with the policies of the company makes them feel valued by the company. Training and development activities help employees reach their potential. Cross-training is also important as an employee’s ability to perform a variety of tasks makes him or her more valuable and able to assume additional responsibilities in the future. 4. Using the Internet, find at least three sources to discuss the problems that organizations will face in developing effective teams and empowering employees for success when the work culture and the economic environment create stress that might impact employee performance in the workplace. Identify some strategies that management might use to help the survivors at Community Health Care Center keep their lives under control and do what is best for the patients. Students’ answers will vary. The management can brainstorm and use strategies such as preventive care and regular check-ups so that the survivors can keep a check on their own health and in turn manage the patients in a better way. The management must supervise each department to monitor its progress. A supervisor should be present so that the survivors can talk to him if they have any problems related to work. 5. What would you recommend to Inna Genova to ensure that her job is not eliminated? Students’ answers will vary. Inna can talk to her supervisor to find out what the criteria is for an employee to be eliminated. She can then work out a way to be reasonably accommodated as she has been a loyal employee in the company for three years. Her degree in nursing could also be an advantage to her as it proves that she has the necessary skills for the job. Critical Incident 1-5 I Need to Make a Difference! Questions for Discussion 1. What are the benefits for Luisa Chalfant to belong to a labor organization? Students’ answers will vary. The purpose of labor unions is to protect the rights of all workers. These rights include the right to work; health care; retirement security; safety and health at work; balance of work and family; education; civil, human and women’s rights; and immigration. 2. What role did Luisa’s early leadership style have on her employees’ unwillingness to follow her direction? Explain your answer. Students’ answers will vary. Luisa was more authoritarian in her approach initially. This supervisory style relies on formal authority, threats, pressure, and close control. A supervisor alone cannot make all the decisions necessary to run a department. She should have taken a more participative approach. 3. Why do you feel Luisa’s new style did not have the impact that she thought it would? Students’ answers will vary. Some of them may say that it would take some time to gain the employees’ trust. She should consistently use the participative supervisory style for favorable results. 4. What suggestions would you make to Luisa to help her get her employees to do a better job? Students’ answers will vary. Many supervisors get themselves into trouble by making hasty decisions without following all the steps in the decision-making process. During any stage of the process, if supervisors tell other people that they “will get back to them,” the supervisors should state a specific time and act within that time. When supervisors fail to make decisions or to give feedback to other people by the specified time, they may sacrifice trust. A supervisor must also learn to recognize how changes affect different employees and observe how individuals develop patterns of behavior that serve as barriers to accepting change. These are some points that students may include in their answers. Critical Incident 1-6 The Best of Philanthropist Bill Gates Questions for Discussion 1. Across the country, public education is struggling. What are some solutions that the Gates Foundation is looking at to provide the inner-city student and the suburban student with equal educational opportunities? Students’ answers will vary. The Gates Foundation supports educational advocacy groups. Gates spent billions of dollars in New York City schools behind the drive to get rid of seniority in layoff decisions (LIFO or last in first out). This would enable principals to layoff any teacher through test scores or other criteria and later hire another teacher of their choice. The Gates Foundation also supports educational “crisis” situations through technological solutions. They were the reason data driven classrooms started to function. In this process, computers categorize teachers in line with their students’ test scores. This is done on a daily basis at the disposition of administrators. 2. How does the Gates Foundation focus to reduce death rates in children? The Maternal, Newborn & Child Health program, an initiative by the Gates Foundation, works to increase the coverage of technologies, treatments, and interventions to ensure that the newborn and the mother stay healthy during childbirth and after. They collaborate with governments, the United Nations, various agencies, nongovernmental organizations that conduct programs related to integrated delivery, family planning, nutrition, prevention of diseases, and so on. They also reach out to community-level healthcare providers to bring about awareness and help them make advancements in their use of technology. The foundation works toward the removal of pneumonia, a prevalent disease in childhood, by investing in treatments and vaccines. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation also funded a leading nonprofit children’s development and relief organization called ‘Save the Children,’ which is aimed at reducing the deaths of newborns. They received a $50 million grant. 3. Discuss ways that that the company you work for might encourage its employees to engage in volunteerism and philanthropic organizations? Students’ answers will vary. Companies can take inspiration from the Gates Foundation and various other foundations like the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, the Walton Foundation, and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation and try to incorporate some of their strategies. They could research some of the agencies and organizations that conduct programs to improve the living conditions of the poor and to provide funds to them. 4. What should Bill Gates do to develop and encourage Satya Nadella in his new role as CEO of Microsoft? Students’ answers will vary. Bill Gates could give Satya Nadella an overview of the challenges and problems he overcame while working as the CEO of the company. He could give him a few examples of his work and support Nadella in understanding the system and judging what not to do in certain situations. 5. If you were the gatekeeper of your organization, what did you learn after reading about Bill Gates that might help you be the best you could be? Students’ answers will vary. Being a gatekeeper requires an individual to make complex decisions, conduct research and choose the best alternative, set agendas, and control and handle different projects at once. Along with all of these tasks, it is important to give back to the society. Gates’ example should help students understand the various strategies implemented by him in different situations. 6. If your grandparents had bought you 10 shares of Microsoft stock when you were born and the dividends were used to purchase more stock, how much would that investment be worth today? Students’ answers will vary. Depending on his or her year of birth, the student would need to analyze the Microsoft stock over the past few years and evaluate the current market condition as well. 7. What impact will the lay-off of thousands of employees have on Microsoft’s image? Students’ answers will vary. Microsoft decided to lay-off a thousand employees in 2014, and it was not received well. Microsoft honcho Stephen Elop’s way of announcing it with a memo was not exactly what the employees expected. There were both positive and negative criticisms toward Microsoft’s big change. 8. If one of your best friends was one of the laid-off Microsoft employees, what suggestions would you give to him or her to find a job in today’s job market? Students’ answers will vary. One of the first things that a person needs to do is network. The reality of finding employment with the same benefits, opportunities, etc., is a challenge; he should network with everyone in his professional, social, community, and personal networks. Many jobs are not posted online, and it is only through word-of-mouth or employee referral that some positions are known. Next, he will need to take advantage of all outplacement services and entitlements offered by his company’s human relations department. While looking for a job, the individual will need a positive attitude and a willingness to take risks and embrace new and different opportunities. Part 2 Critical Incidents Critical Incident 2-1 It’s Not Where You Start but Where You Finish: The Life of Oprah Winfrey Questions for Discussion 1. Go online and find at least two sources that will give you additional information about the “Life and Legend of Oprah Winfrey.” Students’ answers will vary. They can get additional information about the “Life and Legend of Oprah Winfrey” by referring to the websites given below: •http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/win0bio-1 •http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/the-legend-of-oprah-winfrey/story-fn6bn9st-1225961687619 2. If Oprah came into your classroom, what questions would you ask her? Students’ answers will vary. They may ask her questions about the kind of challenges she faced in her childhood. Students may also ask her to give examples of how she overcame those challenges, what motivated her, and what advice she has for the youth of the nation. 3. What responses do you think she would give to your questions? Students’ answers will vary. Her response might include examples from her past, her struggles, and also people who she drew inspiration from. Her response may revolve around these components: education, prayer, and support from her family members and the church community. 4. Some of Oprah’s educational causes have been in other countries. If you were to ask her to explain how she became involved in those situations, how do you think she would respond? How would her answer help you as you journey through life? Students’ answers will vary. Their answers should include Oprah’s views on the importance of education. Students may suggest her desire to promote education which is a tool for empowerment of the poor. They may also research online and list a few programs that have had Oprah as a major contributor. Students could receive important pointers on the journey of their life by drawing inspiration from her experiences. 5. How do you think Oprah would respond if you asked her what she learned about leadership and managing others from working on national TV versus having her own station? Students’ answers will vary. They should point the differences between working on national TV and having one’s own station. Students should also highlight the advantages and disadvantages of working on national TV versus having one’s own station. They should keep in mind that the level of freedom reach one gets while working on national TV and a personal station varies. 6. Food for Thought: Lupita Amondi Nyong’o won the 2014 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 12 Years a Slave. She thought about becoming an actress after seeing Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey in The Color Purple. Visit your local video store and get a copy of 12 Years a Slave or The Color Purple. After reviewing the movies, answer the following questions: (a) In what ways were some of the people ruthless? (b) In what ways did the actress correctly use the various communication and supervisory techniques discussed in the first eight chapters of this book? Students’ answers will vary. If time permits, instructors can make arrangements for an overhead projector for the students to watch the movie in the classroom. Critical Incident 2-2 Ethical Expense Reporting Questions for Discussion 1. Why would Kristy have shared with Ron the information she did regarding putting personal expenses on her business trip report? Students’ answers will vary. Kristy would have shared the information with Ron considering the business trip that Ron was planning. Since Kristy had just returned from the business trip, she would have thought that the information might help Ron. Also, being aware that what she did was unethical, she would have given the information to encourage Ron into doing the same. This would not hurt her morale. 2. What are some of the ethical issues facing Ron Bush in this situation? Students’ answers will vary. Ron Bush knows what Kristy did with the reimbursement of the business trip expenses. Since Ron is reporting to Kristy, he might resort to adding non-business expenses that he incurred on the business trip for reimbursement. 3. What are the possible benefits and the consequences of Ron’s taking the actions that were modeled by Kristy? Students’ answers will vary. Ron might save some money by taking actions that were modeled by Kristy. But these actions might be unethical as Ron knows that only “business-related expenses” are reimbursed by the company. Also, since Ron is reporting to Kristy, his actions might affect the relation between him and her. 4. Put yourself in Ron’s shoes. What will you do to solve the problem at hand? Students’ answers will vary. Their answers should be based on whether they would submit all the expenses incurred during the trip to the company. Students should mention the reason why they decided on a certain thing. Most of them would say they would not submit the expenses. Instructors should encourage the students to think of a practical solution to the problem at hand. Critical Incident 2-3 Supervisory Humor Questions for Discussion 1. What are the challenges facing the leadership of Software-n-More? Students’ answers will vary. One of the challenges the company faced was coordination between the 300 employees spread over five states. It was also having a tough financial time, as the customers were moving to mass market chains and to e-retailers. The company was being hard hit by hackers in the last few years. The company’s restructuring that was required due to the h0ard times in retail market was also a cause of concern. 2. Was Don Fitzgerald’s “The Chopping Block” just a bit of humor to improve morale, or was it a serious breach of a supervisor’s responsibilities? Students’ answers will vary. Some of them may say that from Don Fitzgerald’s perspective it might be a joke, but others might see it as unprofessional and inappropriate. It’s a serious breach of a supervisor’s responsibility as Don did not consult higher management for any approval for “The Chopping Block.” Don failed to exercise good supervisory power. He should have kept in mind that such humor would be a potential threat to the company as it could result in lawsuits by individuals who felt they were ridiculed or defamed. 3. Evaluate the general positions as stated by each individual in this critical incident. Which of them do you find the most and the least credible? Students’ answers will vary. Don Fitzgerald considers “The Chopping Block” as good humor, and it might not affect anyone’s sentiment. Even though his intentions were to bring up employee morale, being a supervisor, he should have consulted the top management. President Swan and Chandler Mane both agree that this type of humor is not acceptable. 4. Evaluate the alternatives available to Chandler Mane. Students’ answers will vary. Chandler Mane could take disciplinary action against Don. Don could be demoted, fired, or given a warning (written or oral). Reduction of pay and counselling can be considered too. 5. If you were Chandler Mane, what will you recommend to President Swan, and why? Students’ answers will vary. Their answers, to some extent, will be based on the answer to the previous question. Chandler Mane may recommend that Don should be given a second chance before taking any harsh actions against him. 6. What are the key lessons you learned for this Critical Incident? Students’ answers will vary. Two key lessons that can be learned from this Critical Incident are: •Everyone has their own perspective on things. •One should consult or approach higher authorities before taking decisions. 7. Food for Thought Question: In a troubled economy, what can managers do to motivate their employees to continuously improve? Students’ answers will vary. In order to motivate the employees, managers should engage in activities that is accepted by everyone. They should appreciate the work that the employees have accomplished. Managers should also consider the grapevine, as it will be filled with rumors and half-truths. It’s important for them to know what is circulating in the grapevine at all times and correct the gossip that is potentially affecting the employees. Critical Incident 2-4 What Motivates Callie? Questions for Discussion 1. What do employees such as Callie Michaels want from work? Students’ answers will vary. Employees such as Callie Michaels want recognition and job satisfaction from their work. They want to be valued for their efforts and contributions to the organization. Expectancy theory suggests that employees will be motivated if they perceive links between their efforts and performance and between their performance and rewards. 2. Evaluate Highland Golf, Tennis and Ski Resort’s employee recognition program under the previous ownership. Students’ answers will vary. Under the previous ownership, employee morale was at an all-time high; employees were friends, revenues were up, and job security was strong. Employees felt that they were working in a “family-friendly” environment. They had a voice in their working conditions, and benefits were based on employees’ needs, i.e., childcare compensation, flextime, flexible work policies, etc. 3. What are some actions that the current management of Highland Golf, Tennis and Ski Resort can take to improve employee morale? Students’ answers will vary. Employees who are valued and respected have increased job productivity and employee morale. This is an opportunity for management to open up communication with their direct reports to listen to their needs and wants. Just calling a meeting or sending out an email asking how management could better support them in their current role at Highland could start to improve employee morale. Working conditions that do not fulfill employee needs ultimately cause dissatisfaction and frustration. The definitional and conceptual framework for strategies for enhancing employee morale and motivation include job design, job rotation, multitasking, job enrichment participative management, and other opportunities for employees to be involved. 4. Discuss the various models of motivation theory that could be relevant to this incident. Students’ answers will vary. Maslow’s theory of needs is relevant in this situation. According to Maslow, when a lower-level need is fulfilled (job security), higher-level needs emerge that influence one’s motivation (self-esteem). In today’s culture, the need to know and understand is strategically important. Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene research indicates that the hygiene factors such as money, management policies, working conditions, and certain aspects of supervision must be adequate to maintain a reasonable level of motivation. 5. Explain why Callie is no longer excited about her job and future. Students’ answers will vary. Callie has witnessed too many layoffs, downsizings, revenue adjustments, and recognition programs eliminated from her current employment. This has made her feel slightly unsafe. In her view, advancement opportunities are limited or nonexistent at Highland. Job excitement and job satisfaction are based on job security, and there is little security for Callie at this time. 6. If you were Callie Michaels, what would you do? Why? Students’ answers will vary. This is an opportune time for Callie Michaels to start reevaluating her career goals. Numerous changes have been made at Highland over the past decade, and she is uncertain about her future job security. Her years of employment service and her past recognitions are strengths that she can utilize if she decides to seek other employment in the tourism industry or another customer-service related field. She also has an opportunity to rethink future education. Perhaps this would be the time to complete her GED or to enroll in a community college or university online program while still maintaining her current employment. It is important for Callie to think outside the box and take some risks regarding her future. Critical Incident 2-5 It’s Not Fair! Giving More and Getting Less! Questions for Discussion 1. What are the problems and ethical issues facing Elaine Pierce? Students’ answers will vary. Elaine Pierce is caught up in the middle of the city’s budget crisis. The city’s pay policies favor a certain group of people (minorities who do not speak English in this case). Elaine is forced to assure her employees about pays that would be higher in the future, which might not necessarily be true. Violation of pay secrecy, by Hu Twong, should also be considered. 2. Search the Internet to ascertain the extent of company policies prohibiting wage discussions among employees. Students could refer the following websites to get an overview about company policies prohibiting wage discussions among employees: •http://www.npr.org/2014/04/13/301989789/pay-secrecy-policies-at-work-often-illegal-and-misunderstood •http://www.jacksonlewis.com/resources-publication/policy-restricting-employees-discussing-wage-info-outsiders-ruled-unlawful •https://www.dol.gov/wb/media/pay_secrecy.pdf 3. Are policies against wage discussion among employees just to protect supervisors and HR managers from having to explain differences in wages? Why or why not? Students’ answers will vary. Companies enforce policies against wage discussion to reduce potential conflicts and dissatisfaction among the employees if pay were made public. Also, these policies help management cover up their bad decisions, and it’s less hassle for them to explain differences in wages. 4. After hearing what Evan Maloney had to say, what should Elaine Pierce do? Students’ answers will vary. Elaine Pierce should explain to Faith Newman about the current situation. According to the mayor and the city council, no raise would be given in the last two years. Elaine should tell Newman that city administration looks unfavorably on discussing wages with current employees. The pay situation is also beyond the city’s control. 5. What should Elaine Pierce do to soothe Faith Newman’s feelings? Students’ answers will vary. Elaine Pierce could boost Faith Newman’s morale by telling her the truth as it is. Instead of making fake promises, Pierce could explain the current situation to make things clear. Quotes like “Things will change sooner or later, and the more senior employees will be taken care of,” might help in boosting their morale, but with time things might turn ugly. Reminding Newman about her past achievement in the company might help. 6. Pierce thought that Maloney’s response to her inquiries was inaccurate. Do you agree? If so, how might the situation have been better handled? Students’ answers will vary. Maloney’s response might not be completely inaccurate. Suggestions given by Maloney to soothe Newman’s feeling are questionable. Handling this issue by talking between themselves might be unprofessional. Instead, the HR department should have taken this issue seriously. They should have scheduled a meeting between Maloney and Newman. 7. Why is communication so important in employee pay and motivation? Students’ answers may vary. Effective communication within an organization gives clarity about the employee’s role within the company. Clarity about incentives, perks, and added responsibilities will reduce ambiguity in performing day-to-day duties and enhance work satisfaction and team performance as a whole. Information flowing through the grapevine is critical to motivate the employees. Effective communication could help in resolving the rumors present in the grapevine. Critical Incident 2-6 Facebook and Social Media Slip-Up Questions for Discussion 1. What are the issues in this critical incident? Students’ answers will vary. The main issue in this critical incident is the poor supervision of health care employees. 2. Do you think that some employees, managers, patients, and other stakeholders will be outraged if Marty’s comments become public knowledge? Students’ answers will vary. There is a chance that employees, managers, patients, and other stakeholders would be outraged if Marty’s comments became public knowledge. Such harsh comments might affect CMC’s reputation. Other employees might show discomfort when approaching certain people whose names have been mentioned in Marty’s comments. 3. Why should the problem with Marty be solved quickly? Students’ answers will vary. Posting comments on Facebook might not be the right approach toward getting rid of one’s frustration. Marty’s problem should be taken seriously as these comments show that the employees are not happy with their routine. Management should not only investigate on who posted those comments but should also investigate if these comments make any sense. By doing so, the management will gain its employees trust, and it will, in a way, motivate the employees. 4. What suggestions would you make to help management on how to best deal with Marty? Students’ answers will vary. Management should investigate what made Marty post such comments. It should also investigate the following: •What is the situation in the CMC ER (emergency room)? •What made Marty select such an approach? •Was Marty not sure about approaching the Human Resource department? By doing so, the management will be able to expose the loopholes in the department. 5. What might management do to increase the levels of trust, cooperation, and cohesiveness among employees? Students’ answers will vary. Management could investigate Marty’s situation. It could also do surveys in different departments about the job satisfaction and the behavior of different supervisors. By doing this, the management will increase the levels of trust, cooperation, and cohesiveness among employees. 6. Explain why a manager should look at every disciplinary action as if it will eventually end up in the court room? Students’ answers will vary. Disciplinary action is a process of communicating with the employee to improve behavior or performance that is unacceptable. Managers should know the issues before hand when taking disciplinary action against an employee. They should keep in mind that an employee might disagree with the disciplinary action taken by the employer. An employee might also think that the decision was unfair. This might result in the employee appealing against the disciplinary action. Part 3 Critical Incidents Critical Incident 3-1 Half of Us Would Like To Leave If We Could Questions for Discussion 1. What are the potential implications of CEO Mitchell’s alleged behavior? Students’ answers will vary. Some students may feel that CEO Mitchell may be seen as a person who promotes sycophancy in the organization. His alleged behavior may demoralize the workforce and may even lead to marginalization based on the gender of employees. Promotion of a woman employee in the organization may be automatically linked to her relation with the CEO. Finally, the promotion of individuals who lack expertise may lead to widespread dissatisfaction and an adverse work environment. 2. What, if anything, should Michael Schott do? Why? Students’ answers will vary. Some students may feel that Schott should have questioned the need to replace Ahmad Prasad with Mary Grant. He should have cited the hospital policy, which required that vacant jobs be posted internally for five days. Additionally, Schott should have cited Ahmad Prasad’s most recent performance evaluations, which indicated that he met or exceeded most of the expectations required for the new position. Although Schott cannot directly interfere in the employees' personal lives, he could still make use of existing hospital policies to validate his stand and avoid moves that would prove detrimental to organizational interests. 3. Go online to see how many sexual harassment suits were filed in the United States last year. How many of them involve allegations of egregious behavior at the top management levels? Similarly, major political and governmental officials have been vilified for extramarital affairs and sexual involvement with subordinates. What kinds of problems do these relationships create for an organization? Students’ answers will vary. This question requires students to research current statistics online. Students could compare statistics mentioned in their sources with that on the official website of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), which says that one in five women have been subjected to sexual violence or had experienced attempted rape at some point. Students may also refer to the Web site of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) to collect data about sexual harassment at the workplace. Students may cite few real-life examples to highlight the kind of problems that extramarital affairs create for an organization. Such relationships result in the depreciation of stock value and poorer operating performance rating for an organization. 4. How can consensual relationships with subordinates become devastating for an organization? Consensual relationships are like a double-edged sword. While there are cases where such relationships have had little or no effect, most companies consider consensual relationships a bane owing to possible sexual crimes cases when relationships do not work. Consensual relationships within a team could lead to favoritism and cause dissatisfaction among other employees due to nonrecognition of their efforts. Students could also mention how such relationships spoil employer–employee relationship and demoralize the workforce in general. 5. If Mary Grant’s job performance is not negatively affected by her personal life and the same is true for CEO Roy Mitchell, should Mike Schott and other administrators become involved in this situation anyway? Students’ answers will vary. Some students may feel that Mike Schott and other administrators can still become involved in this situation as Mary Grant’s promotion to the post of deputy director of planning was not in agreement with the hospital policy. The hospital policy required that vacant jobs be posted internally for five days, which had not been done in this case. Also, Ahmad Prasad’s most recent performance evaluations indicated that he met or exceeded most of the expectations required for the new position. 6. If you were a member of the hospital’s Board of Directors and you became aware of these allegations, what would you do to intervene? Students’ answers will vary. Some students may suggest that a member of the board has two recourses. The member could either institute an investigation into the alleged relationship between the persons in question or could confront them in a meeting. While the latter could be counterproductive, a formal investigation would enable the member to analyze constructively the situation and address the issue at hand. The board member would then be in a position to present his or her evidence to the accused while getting their side of the story. Critical Incident 3-2 The Right Employees Can Shake the Blues of the Gloomy Picture! Questions for Discussion 1. Wander a local Wal-Mart store and look at the type of jobs that employees are doing. Would any of those jobs be appropriate for the new store Larry will be managing? What kind of skills does an employee need to do the jobs that need to be done in Larry’s store? Students’ answers will vary. There are many types of jobs that students could list after a visit to the local Wal-Mart store. Some of these jobs would include—customer service representatives, cart pushers, cashiers, unloaders, stockists, department associates and supervisors, and technicians. Being a home goods store, many of the jobs being performed at Wal-Mart may be relevant at Paul’s Home Center as well. Students may list few of the jobs mentioned above as an absolute necessity to run a home store. Leadership, customer relationship, and logistics handling are some of the skills needed to run such a store. Students may also list other roles and responsibilities that could be discussed in class. 2. Develop a plan to help Larry staff the store. (Please consider all the aspects discussed in Chapter 3 and in Part 3 of the text.) Students’ answers will vary. Students may suggest that Larry should consider Peter Drucker’s five important questions to staff the store. Larry should ask the following questions: What is the mission of the company? Who are their customers? What do the customers value? What are their results? What is their plan? Students may also come up with a few suggestions of their own that can be debated in class. 3. Once Larry has selected his staff, what type of training is needed to get them to work together as an effective team? Students’ answers will vary. Some students may feel that identifying individual strengths and weaknesses is an essential step in the formation of a team. Members of a team should possess a combination of skill sets. Individuals should be placed in a role closest to their strengths. Students may suggest team cohesion, customer relations, and leadership training as additional factors affecting a team’s functioning. 4. Based upon your experiences in the workplace and your reading of the chapters in Part 3, what advice would you have for Larry to help him enable his employees to be the best they can be? Students’ answers will vary. Answers will reflect students’ understanding of the subject. An important step toward helping employees realize their potential is to empower them with spot decision-making authorities, which may in turn improve customer service. Additionally, Larry could devise wellness programs and paid time-off programs to motivate employees. Students could suggest other measures as well that can be discussed in class. Critical Incident 3-3 The Right Job for Me! Questions for Discussion 1. As you reflect on Donnie Sanchez’s remark, “Is he making this up or are there really companies like,” do the research to find the “Best Companies to Work For,” and the reasons they are on the list. Did you find a company or two that might be like Luxor? Students’ answers will vary. While some students may agree with Sanchez, some others may choose to interpret Sanchez’s remarks on the day-to-day functioning of Luxor as his individual opinion. There are several highly reputed survey sources such as AC Nielsen, Business Insider, and Fortune through which students can carry out their research. During their research, students may come across companies that they might not have heard of, and they may be curious to know the reasons they are on the list. 2. Evaluate the techniques that Donnie Sanchez used that led to his being offered the job at Luxor. How might you use the same “techniques” for finding the best job for you? Donnie Sanchez understood his shortcomings at an early stage, and he realized his lack of technical ability especially with the use of computers. After joining Professor Edwards’s class, he changed his major to general management. He shadowed James Metzler, the supervisor at Luxor, as a part of his class project. On the recommendation of Professor Edwards, Sanchez got a job at Luxor even though it was somewhat technical. Sanchez showed the right attitude to work in a plant with self-directed work team approach. Students who feel they share traits similar to Sanchez may use the same “techniques” for finding the best job for themselves. Others may, however, feel that the example of Luxor may be an exceptional case as not all companies value attitude over aptitude. 3. Would you like to work for a company like Luxor? Why and why not? Students’ answers will vary. Many students may want to work in a company like Luxor. According to Sanchez’s address to the class, the methods adopted at Luxor would not only raise performance levels, but they would also lead to employees feeling valued. There may be others who may prefer to work in an organization with a top-down approach. These students may suggest various reasons for their choice, such as unity of command and standardized practices. 4. What do you need to do to hone your skills, knowledge, and abilities to help you find a “great job”? Students’ answers will vary. Sanchez honed his knowledge by observing James Metzler. Some students may choose other methods such as a direct hands-on approach or skill-based training to hone their abilities. Most students would agree that there is no single sure-shot method to hone their skills and abilities. Students would also agree that one needs to recognize his or her area of interest and then focus on mastering it. Critical Incident 3-4 Unwanted Help! Questions for Discussion 1. Should a supervisor like Corey do the work of an employee to assist the employee or reduce his or her workload? Discuss. Students’ answers will vary. Some students’ opinion may be influenced by whether the employee needs help or not. Some students may feel that unwanted help not only creates confusion, but it also fuels mistrust and makes the employee question his or her ability. A supervisor, like Corey, should understand that a newly hired employee, like Mary Sue, may require time to perform his or her job independently. Therefore, Corey should first ask Mary if she needs help. If yes, he should demonstrate the procedure for Mary to observe and learn rather than do the task himself each time. 2. Why would Corey have continued to do some of Mary Sue’s job duties even after their initial discussion? Students’ answers will vary. Some students may feel that Corey may have wanted to relieve Mary off some stress and reduce her workload. While some students may agree with Corey’s intention, others may suggest Mary’s lack of experience as a reason for Corey’s interference. 3. Why did Mary Sue resent her supervisor performing some of her job duties? Mary Sue realized that her supervisor didn’t have confidence in her abilities and that he was unwilling to tell her what might be done differently to perform her role better. 4. If you were Mary Sue, what would you do? Please consider alternatives. The answer to this question will vary as per students’ perception of the issue. While many students may agree that Mary should have an informal chat with Corey to present her thoughts on the issue, some students may argue that it would be better to approach Corey’s supervisor or the HR Director to resolve this issue. 5. In previous parts of the text we talked about the essentials for effective supervision. Do you think Corey is an effective supervisor? Why or why not? Students’ answers will vary. Some students may agree that Corey is an effective supervisor as he is trying to reduce the burden on his employee. There may be other students who argue that Corey is not setting the right example by interfering with Mary’s responsibilities. His actions indicate his lack of trust in Mary’s ability to carry out her role. 6. Every supervisor needs to find ways to become more effective. Write a two-paragraph paper indicating some suggestions you have for Corey to improve his supervisory effectiveness. Students’ answers will vary. To answer this question, students need to reflect on concepts related to effective supervision discussed in the chapter. Students should also consider instances where both Corey’s present style of supervision would be effective and where it would be detrimental to the employee. Critical Incident 3-5 Is She on our Team? Questions for Discussion 1. Every work group has its own personality. Discuss how a group’s personality influences its ability to be productive. The collective personalities of all individuals comprising a team contribute to the overall personality of the team. Understanding members’ interests, strengths, and weaknesses enable a team to function efficiently. Work groups provide companionship for employees, set behavior guidelines, help in problem-solving, and render protection from outside pressures. A work group that has shared cognition allows all team members to anticipate and execute action toward meeting group’s goals and thus work effectively. 2. Why is it important for Crawford to identify the issues that distract from group cohesiveness? Students’ answers will vary. Students may suggest that the factors that distract a team from cohesiveness are often some of the most dangerous threats to a well-performing team. In this case, the lack of speed of one member and the subsequent delay in completing the assigned work is beginning to affect the other team members as well. Some of the team members wanted to slow their pace of work as well, especially since Crawford has dismissed his team members’ complaints about Kaylee’s slow progress saying that she did good work. 3. What are the issues in this critical incident? Students’ answers will vary. The most important issue is the team members’ complaint against Kaylee’s slow work pace and her failure to keep up with clients’ needs. Another issue is Crawford’s dismissal of the complaint made by other team members against Kaylee. The third issue is the negligence on the part of the team to address Kaylee’s problems and her past performance evaluations. 4. If you were Crawford, what would you do? Why? Students’ answers will vary. Some students may suggest they would have spoken to Kaylee and try to understand if her problem with obesity has any link to her job performance. Some students may also suggest calling Kaylee to a meeting with the higher administration and reprimanding her. 5. Go online and review the Americans With Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAAA), Neely v. Public Service Enterprise Group Inc., 5th Cir., No.12-51074, and see other recent court decisions regarding overweight employees. Is Kaylee a “qualified individual with a disability”? a. Define: Essential job functions, reasonable accommodation, and undue hardship. b. Is overweight covered by the ADA? c. What if Kaylee says “her inability to keep up with the other team members and serve clients in a timely fashion is because of her health?” What should Crawford and the administration do? Students’ answers will vary. Each of these questions will require students to review the ADAA Act and the various court decisions regarding overweight employees. If it is confirmed that Kaylee is unable to keep up with other team members due to her health, then as per the ADA Act, Crawford and the administration would have to bring in reasonable modifications in their policies that would not fundamentally alter the nature of the product or service. 6. What recommendations would you make to Crawford to help all team members understand reasonable accommodation for employees that are protected under ADA? Students’ answers will vary. A possible approach could be to meet with the rest of the team and explain Kaylee’s condition to them, and get them to rally behind her considering her good quality work. Critical Incident 3-6 Building a Bright Future, Leslie H. Wexner’s Secret! Questions for Discussion 1. Go online, and read about Wexner and The Limited Brands. After reading the chapters in Part 2, it should be apparent that managers must find ways to help themselves and their employees continuously improve. Based on your research findings, what are three things that Wexner has done to help himself grow? What one thing did you learn that will help you grow as you journey through life? Students’ answers will vary. Students may mention that Wexner believed and followed W. Galbraith words who once told him to pursue things with an open mind. In this case, Galbraith was referring to being open-minded and curious. Second, he strongly believed that business should be done the right way. For example—a customer would get a full refund if a product was brought back to the store. Third, he said that one cannot be right all the time. He believed that one should adjust his or her errors quickly. Students’ responses to the last part of the questions will vary. 2. After reading the Critical Incident and your online findings, would you want to work for Wexner and one of his companies? Why or why not? Students’ answers will vary. Considering the values his company instills among employees and customers alike, many students may choose to work for Wexner’s company. There may also be students who may disagree with his returns policy as it may affect profits. 3. To what extent do you believe that Wexner’s companies have empowered employees to be the best they can be? Students’ answers will vary. The critical incident indicates a considerable level of empowerment among store employees. The policies of the company suggest that their store offers a full refund for products returned by customers. This means employees can take spot decisions to please customers and uphold the value of the brand. 4. Make a list of the characteristics of leadership and building effective teams that that Wexner has used to make his companies effective. Students’ answers will vary. This question is subjective, and students will choose one or more characteristics of Wexner such as integrity, dynamic, or leadership. 5. Visit one of Wexner’s stores and ask at least two employees what they like best about working there. Compare your findings with those of three other students. To what degree are your findings similar or different? If there are differences, what you think might be the reasons for this? This is an independent exercise, and students’ answers will vary. Similarities may be related to the general working principles and policies governing employee conduct and rights. Students may observe many differences in the efficiency and management of each store. Part 4 Critical Incidents Critical Incident 4-1—Top Gun Questions for Discussion 1. The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution says, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security for a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Go online and find excerpts of Oklahoma’s self-defense act. After reading the act, do you believe that Joe Trosh has the right to carry a concealed handgun in the hospital? There are no statutes under Oklahoma’s self-defense act that prohibit an individual from carrying a concealed or an unconcealed firearm in a hospital. However, the administrative regulations of a business organization might apply. If the Community Hospital has restricted all employees from carrying a handgun, it is illegal for Joe Trosh to carry a handgun. However, if no such regulation exists, then Joe might be permitted to carry the handgun. 2. Assuming that the hospital has a written policy prohibiting possession of weapons on company property, what should Nancy Warner do? Consider alternatives that may be open to her. Nancy Warner should let Joe off with a warning as this is his first incident with regard to possession of weapons on company property. She should inform him that carrying a handgun is strictly against the hospital’s regulations, and strict action would be taken against him if he repeated this in the future. Joe could also face a penalty for carrying the handgun. The penalty for ignoring the regulation could be decided by the hospital’s management or by Nancy. Nancy could also have a talk with Joe to understand his need for self-defense. If Joe’s reasons pertain to his harassment at work, then a solution can be drafted and put in effect to ensure employees like him are not harassed anymore. If the reasons are personal, then Joe could be advised to keep his handgun in his car or turn it in to the security as he enters the hospital and collect it as he leaves. 3. Why have Nancy Warner and other members of the hospital’s administrative team been insensitive to the actions of some employees to the Native American employees? Students’ answers will vary. Nancy Warner and other members of the hospital’s administrative team might have been insensitive toward this issue because they were not aware of it. It is also possible that no employee had previously informed Nancy or other administrative members of such actions at work. It could also be that these actions were reported to an administrative member but the information was never passed on to the top management and Nancy. 4. What does the hospital administration need to do so that more incidents of discrimination to Native Americans does not occur? Students’ answers will vary. The hospital administrative team must take measures to ensure that no employee is harassed at work. This should be the organization’s main priority. It could form a new organizational policy about serious action taken against employees who discriminate against others. The hospital could also enforce a new rule stating that employees who discriminate against others would have to pay a penalty and face serious action. Critical Incident 4-2—Sanders Supermarkets: What Happened to Control? Questions for Discussion 1. Analyze Juan Sanchez’s discussion with the two assistant store managers, particularly when he said that “all it takes is working together, communicating and follow through.” Are these the only factors that Sanchez needs to address, or does good supervision require something more? Discuss. Working together, communicating, and follow through are some of the factors that Juan Sanchez needs to discuss with the two assistant store managers. However, good supervision also involves leadership qualities such as communication, division of tasks, direction, and motivation. If Juan Sanchez provided direction and divided the tasks of the assistant store managers, neither of them would have assumed that the other completed the task. 2. Review the chapter on resolving conflicts. What suggestions would you make to Sanchez to help him resolve the problems he is facing? Sanchez could use the decision-making process mentioned in Chapter 8—define the problem, analyze the problem, establish decision criteria, develop alternatives, evaluate the alternatives, select the “best” alternative, and then follow up and appraise the results. 3. What should Greenberg and Sanchez do in regard to the immediate problem of the carpenters and laborers in the store? Students’ answers will vary. Sanchez and Greenberg could request the carpenters and laborers to come back on another day after the first week of the month to reset the store during nonpeak hours or after hours. 4. Identify various places in this critical incident where members of Sanders Supermarkets’ management team did not plan on how to control for the unexpected? Students’ answers will vary. The major issue in this incident is that there was no proper flow of communication internally. Greenberg was a mediator between the top management and Juan Sanchez, yet he did not pass on information from the top management to Juan Sanchez properly. Greenberg’s inability to pass on information from top management to Juan Sanchez was what caused this incident. Another major issue is the division of work between employees. Oliver and Weathers would not have assumed that the other would do the task if each of them knew what their tasks were. Sanchez should have granted them authority to take decisions within the prescribed limits. 5. In Chapter 2, we define “Management is getting things done through others.” How can Juan Sanchez do a better job of leading his two assistant store managers? Students’ answers will vary. Juan Sanchez should divide tasks and assign them to his assistant store managers. This division of work would make it easy for them to carry out their tasks with lesser hassles. Juan should also provide direction to them and set deadlines for them, which will help them complete their tasks in the set time. 6. Food for Thought: “Would you like to work for Sanders Supermarkets?” Why or why not? Students’ answers will vary. Some of them might agree to work for Sanders Supermarkets, while others may not. Some reasons for students to disagree to work for Sanders Supermarkets are as follows: •Lack of proper flow of information from the top management to the store managers •Lack of direction provided by reporting managers •No proper division of tasks/work for subordinates •Reporting managers not accountable for subordinates Critical Incident 4-3—Coping with the New Manager Questions for Discussion 1. Assess Donald Patterson’s leadership style. How might his past military experiences govern the way he tries to lead Blan’s Tennessee plant? Donald Patterson seems to be an autocratic (authoritarian) leader—the supervisory style that relies on formal authority, threats, pressure, and close control. He insists on optimum utilization of resources, manages the organization by wandering around, and has one-on-one sessions with all supervisors, group leaders, and facilitators. He fails to recognize that the strategies for leading a manufacturing plant and the military are different. 2. How would you evaluate Phyo’s situation in terms of job stress and conflict? Phyo might be extremely stressed as she has to find a way to train the new hires in one day and ensure that they do not quit the organization. 3. Have you, a family member or close friend, ever experienced a situation like the one described in this critical incident. If so, how did you or they handle the problems? Students’ answers will vary. The individual either quits the organization or tries to modify the circumstances by suggesting better methods, procedures, tools, and techniques to perform the tasks in the organization. The latter would make the business more profitable. 4. What should Phyo do? Why? Students’ answers will vary. Phyo should communicate the problems she faces as a result of the policy change to Donald Patterson. She should tell him that one day was too less for training, and she could also suggest alternative plans for her department. Phyo should do this so that Patterson understands the problems firsthand and take measures to better the situation. 5. Go online to find at least two websites that discuss disgruntled employees, and find at least two sources where managers have used abusive controlling and created conflicts for employees. Write a one-page report, giving some suggestions that you might use if you were in Phyo’s situation. We suggest that you use the last paragraph to suggest ways in which the effective supervisor can prevent employees from becoming disgruntled. (You may want to go to www.YouTube.com, and view Angelina Leigh in the Disgruntled Employee movie.) Students’ answers will vary. They may perform a Web search on “disgruntled employees” and find Web sites that discuss real-life incidents faced by disgruntled employees. Students may suggest that employees need to be motivated to perform their tasks. The top management of an organization should find out why the employees are disgruntled and try to resolve their problems by identifying the root cause. Students may suggest techniques that will motivate employees to become happy with their roles in an organization. Critical Incident 4-4—Who Made the Eat Fresh Subway Sandwich Questions for Discussion 1. See this blog by Katherine Luster, The 10 Most Egregious Restaurant Crimes (http://www.restaurants.com/blog/employees-behaving-badly-the-10-mostegregious-restaurant-crimes/#.U81YyvldVD4) Prior to class, students should visit the link mentioned above and note their observations. During class, students should discuss their observations with the rest of the class. 2. Using the Internet, try to find at least three other incidents where employees in the fast food industry have posted what you would consider inappropriate activities at their place of work. In your opinion, why would employees do such a thing? Students’ answers will vary. Students may suggest that dissatisfied or disgruntled employees would do such things. The reasons for them to be disgruntled or dissatisfied may vary from one employee to another. 3. Are there some ways for Professor Edwards, Mark, and Jake to find out if the images are real or fake? Yes, there are ways one can verify the authenticity of an image. One can do this with the help of online tools and techniques. 4. What is meant by the term “Subway sandwich artist”? Assume that you are the franchise owner of the store where this posting took place, how would you respond to a person that asked you the following question: “I saw on Facebook a posting of how you train one of your employees to be a Subway sandwich artist!” Students’ answers will vary. The term “Subway sandwich artist” refers to an individual who prepares the sandwich as per a customer’s order. The franchise owner should take responsibility for the incident and apologize for posting such inappropriate content. 5. The next time associates are given the 3 × 5 card with the two questions, which Jake and Mark had come up with, the associates were asked to add a third question and provide an answer. If you work for Subway Systems, based upon your previous work experiences, what question would you ask and what would your answer be? (We suggest that instructors have students share their questions and answers in small groups.) Students’ answers will vary. A sample question and answer that can be provided by an employee of Subway Systems is given below: How would you ensure that your employees are not disgruntled and dissatisfied with the organization? Students’ answers will vary. Managers must find out why employees are disgruntled and dissatisfied with the organization. Then, managers must work with employees to develop a solution that will result in happy employees. Employees could also be provided incentives that will motivate them to work for the organization. The incentives could be either monetary or nonmonetary. 6. If you were the manager of the store where the employees posted the offensive photos, how would you deal with the situation? Students’ answers will vary. The manager should have a talk with the employees to find out why they posted such content on a social media Web site. In some cases, organizations might take strict action against these employees and even file a legal suit against them. In some cases, organizations might terminate the employment of these employees. But in most cases, employees are given a warning and instructed not to post any inappropriate content about their employer on any social media Web site. 7. Most organizations do not have a specific rule that would address what the employees did. Why should organizations have an employee policy that would allow them to immediately and effectively address the actions that these employees had allegedly taken? Students’ answers will vary. Organizations should have such a policy to protect themselves from bad publicity caused by dissatisfied and disgruntled employees as well as former employees. This will give organizations the right to file a legal suit against such claims by their employees and former employees. Critical Incident 4-5—Discharge for Absenteeism? Questions for Discussion 1. Internet activity: What is the average absenteeism rate in American industry today? How does city Metropolis’ absenteeism rate of 6 percent compare with the absenteeism rate of other city and county governmental units and industry? Students’ answers will vary. Students must provide evidence in support of their answers. The absenteeism rate will vary among different cities and different business units in the American industry today. It could be due to many reasons. Some of them could be due to the various differences in the two cities, e.g., labor laws, organizational policies, rules and regulations. 2. Based on your findings, how serious is the city’s absenteeism problem? Students’ answers will vary. As long as an employee’s productivity and work are not affected by the employee’s absence, it might not be a serious problem for employers. But, if an employee is absent for most of the time without notifying the employer, then it might be a serious problem. Employers will have to set a norm that states that employees can be absent only for certain number of days in a year. If the employee is absent for more days than the norm, the employee must justify their reasons for absence. 3. What should the city do to minimize absenteeism? Students’ answers will vary. The city must find out the reasons for employee absenteeism at work. Employers must see if their employees are able to strike a work–life balance. If not, they must find out why. Sometimes employees might be absent from work because they are unmotivated. In such cases, employers are to find out why employees are unmotivated and provide incentives, i.e., monetary or nonmonetary, that motivate the employees. Employees who have senior citizens and small children as dependents might be absent from work due to family emergencies. Under such circumstances, employers can provide employees with the option of work from home. A no-fault attendance policy—a policy under which unscheduled absences and tardiness are counted as occurrences and their accumulation is used in progressive discipline—could also be adopted to minimize absenteeism. 4. This case will probably go to arbitration. The arbitrator will have a number of possible options, such as: •The city would be correct in terminating Pulfer. •The city’s tally of discharge was too severe (e.g. five days off without pay. What would be more appropriate?). •The city should not have penalized Pulfer in any way because of his reasons for his latest absence. •Other possibilities for the arbitrator might be… you make the call. If you were the arbitrator, how would you rule and why? Note: Instructors may want to have the students do this in teams, so that they can compare their ideas and thoughts. Students’ answers will vary. The arbitrator should ask for evidence that proves that the employee has been absent for a reasonably long period of time. The arbitrator should also ask for the number of occurrences that constitute the norm within the organization. There should also be evidence that suggests that the employee’s absenteeism will not improve under any circumstances. If all of these conditions are met, the arbitrator has the right to terminate the employee. However, if evidence suggests that the employee was absent due to unavoidable circumstances, the arbitrator might consider ruling otherwise. The employee might be asked to pay a fine to his employer and/or perform work without pay for a set number of days. Critical Incident 4-6—Changing the World Questions for Discussion 1. Conduct an Internet search to learn more about Bill Cosby’s life and his social and economic views. After reading this case and doing research on Cosby’s life and views, do you think that the university professor’s comment about Cosby is appropriate? Or do you think that Cornell West’s defense is more appropriate? Students’ answers will vary. Some students might agree with the comment made by the university professor, while others might agree with Cornell West’s defense. Students should provide evidence to support their answers. 2. Years ago, poet William Wordsworth, wrote about the loss of a child’s insight, security, and creativity. “What though the radiance which was once so bright Be now for ever taken from my sight Though nothing can bring forth the hour Of splendour in the grass, for glory is in the flower.” Many people in America today have lost their insight, security, and creativity. Based upon Bill Cosby’s views and the words of Wordsworth, what are you doing to provide comfort for yourself? Students’ answers will vary. Students must state evidence to support their answers. 3. What did you learn from the experiences and life of Bill Cosby that will help you to develop a plan to enable you to be the best you can be? Students’ answers will vary. Students might say that they can contribute to the community by providing community service such as free meals and free tutoring. Some of them may also say that in whatever they chose to do in life professionally, they could incorporate service for the betterment of society in some way. 4. If Bill Cosby was invited to your college as a guest speaker, what question would you ask him? Students’ answers will vary. Students may ask Bill Cosby questions about his career or personal life. Some questions that students might ask are as follows: •What inspired you to raise awareness about the problems prevalent in underprivileged urban communities? •How do you think we should tackle the problems being faced by people living in underprivileged urban communities today? •In an interview with Don Steinberg in 2013, he said that you were a “political comedian.” Have you ever thought of becoming a senator? Solution Manual Case for Supervision: Concepts and Practices of Management Edwin C. Leonard , Kelly A. Trusty 9781285866376, 9781111969790