Case-8-14 Cultural Differences: Let’s Break a Deal – Employee Training and Development : Book Guide

This Document Contains Cases 8 to 14 Scenario #8: Cultural Differences: Let’s Break a Deal I. Introduction The internationalization of companies has created the need to become more aware of cultural differences in order to successfully conduct business. This scenario depicts a situation where individuals in a business relationship have incongruent cultural norms and values. Using this vignette as a springboard to discussing how to manage cultural differences in the global economy would be valuable for students of Management, Organizational Behavior, or Human Resources. II. Learning Objectives 1. To assess students’ understanding of different cultural values and their impact on business relationships. 2. To analyze and evaluate a cross-cultural business meeting. 3. To explore aspects of self-awareness using Johari’s Window as a model. III. Scenario Description: Overview: Michael Sokolow has just been tasked with handling international clients. He needs to close a deal with Norio Tokunaka from PopWear that has already been thoroughly worked out with Sokolow’s predecessor, Roger Small. Michael is unaware of the need to establish a relationship with Norio before he discusses business. Norio becomes disenchanted and refuses to sign the deal. Profile: • Michael Sokolow is the Director of Foreign Sales at Mustang Jeans. After working at Mustang as a real estate attorney for six years, acquiring property for retail and manufacturing, Sokolow moved into sales at an executive level. • Norio Tukunaka has worked at PopWear, a large retail clothing chain for his entire career. In his current position as Vice President of Merchandising, Norio is responsible for expanding the contemporary clothing line, which includes adding new suppliers and brands for PopWear’s 36 stores throughout Japan. References: The references included in the DVD are: • National Cultural Values (PPT 8-3) • Hofstede’s Model: Definitions (PPT 8-4) • The Johari Window (PPT 8-10) • The Johari Window: Definitions (PPT 8-11) Back History: Michael Sokolow has been a sales manager at Mustang Jeans for two years. He was “recruited” or “wooed away” from a competing company. He was given “an offer you can’t refuse”, an indication of his stellar reputation. Sokolow is very much a no-nonsense straight-ahead kind of guy. He is friendly, but not big on small talk. He fits the stereotypical American businessman in many ways – informal, a little loud, all about money, very direct and forthright. Michael’s career has focused in national sales – this is his first foray into international business. Mustang Jeans is reorganizing to increase efficiency – all managers are now assuming larger territories. Tokunaka has been with PopWear for his entire career. He has been working with American companies for many years, importing a variety of products. Most of these American companies are alliances that were formed by Tokunaka’s superiors, many years before. All of Tokunaka’s accounts are pre-existing accounts as opposed to newly created accounts. This year, PopWear is expanding their contemporary clothing line, which includes adding new suppliers and new brands. Tokunaka has been working on a deal with Michael’s associate for a very long time. Michael has just taken over this region. The prior associate’s report indicates that the Tokunaka account is a done deal, with only logistics and details remaining. Sokolow and Tokunaka are having their first meeting. Scene Set-up: Norio arrives at Michael’s office after arriving from Japan. Scene Location: Michael’s office at Mustang Jeans corporate headquarters The Meeting - Summary: Michael spends less than a minute building rapport with Norio. He then begins to talk about signing the deal that had been previously worked out with Small. Norio wants to continue to talk about good Japanese food and seems insulted that Michael doesn’t like eel. Michael continues to press for the deal but Norio is very evasive. Michael then gets interrupted by his assistant notifying him of his next appointment. He apologizes to Norio about the short amount of time that he has to spend with him. Norio says he’ll just leave and come back later in the week. 3 Days Later – Norio comes back and Michael apologizes for the prior meeting. When asked to sign the deal again, Norio suggests that he’s been talking to other companies in the past few days in New York. He doesn’t commit to the deal and says he’d enjoy hosting Michael in Japan and hopes they can maintain their relationship. He leaves before signing the deal to catch a plane. Afterthoughts – Summary: Michael notes his frustration with the interaction. He acknowledges that he should have waited for Norio to start talking about the deal first. He understands that the Japanese businesspeople place a high priority on the relationship but also points out that he didn’t have a long time to devote to small talk when it was unclear whether Norio was going to sign the deal or not. Dossier: The specific artifacts included in the DVD are: 1. Emails between Small and Sokolow after the 1st meeting 2. Small’s PopWear Account Notes 3. Voice message to Norio Tokunaka from Slo-Groove (competitor of Mustang Jeans) IV. Discussion Questions: The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 8-1 to 8-11. Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of different cultural values and their impact on business relationships. 1. How did the differences between Japan’s and the United States’ national cultural values affect the interaction between Norio and Michael? Use the information on PPT 8-3 and 8-4 to support your answer. Long-term orientation differences seemed to have a major impact. While Norio is likely to value a long-term approach to developing and conducting business, Michael’s relatively shorter-term approach was insulting to Norio. However, Norio demonstrates less achievement orientation than Michael in this particular scenario which is somewhat contradictory to Hofstede’s research. You may ask students their opinions and alternative explanations for this. 2. Hofstede’s research on national cultural values has practical implications for business people. Assume you are Michael and you have to conduct a similar meeting with another client from Russia. How will you modify your behavior to effectively conduct business with this individual? Use the information on PPT 8-3 and 8-4 to support your answer. Student’s answers will vary. Students should incorporate the fact that Russians tend to have a short-term orientation, much like Americans, in their answer.  2. What is Michael’s strategy? A. Find problem B. Pressure Norio C. Show patience Michael says “let’s get the ball rolling’ indicating that he’s trying to pressure Norio into signing the agreement because it’s important to the company and he has other business to attend to.  3. How was this [initial] meeting? A. Successful B. A failure C. A good start Seems to be a failure, they neither established a firm relationship or accomplished Michael’s goal of signing the deal. Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate a cross-cultural business meeting. 1. What information should Michael have possessed before his meeting with Norio? Michael should have been better prepared by Roger as to what to expect from Norio. He needed to know the history of the interactions and the best way to proceed and to explain the transition to Michael. 2. Why is Norio acting somewhat evasive with his responses? Even though the deal was almost done, Norio was expecting to now build a relationship with Michael. He seems to be offended that his contact has been reassigned and is unsure he wants to move forward.  1. What is Norio hinting [when he mentions Roger likes sushi]? A. Misses Roger B. He’s hungry C. Dislikes deal He misses Roger and that fact he knows Roger likes sushi indicates that they had a gotten to know each other. He expects to develop a relationship with his business associates and Michael wants to get right to business. 3. What could Michael have done better in the second meeting to continue the business relationship? Learn more about the cultural differences at play. He also could have tried to contact Norio earlier and ask him to a social event (like the competition did) to begin to build the relationship. He makes the same mistake in the second meeting by again insisting on signing the deal. His apology for the first meeting is appropriate and seems to be well-received but is not enough to woo back Norio.  4. Norio is indicating [when he says he’s been meeting with other people]: A. There’s competition B. He enjoyed trip C. Deal is off He’s suggesting that there is competition but Michael doesn’t seems to grasp that and makes a flippant comment that he expected Norio would have other meetings while in New York. Michael doesn’t take this opportunity to discuss his stay in New York, but instead tries even harder to have Norio sign the deal.  5. Michael’s concern [that they are having a communication problem] is: A. Accurate B. Off target C. Insulting It was probably insulting because it insinuated that Norio’s language ability may have been contributing to the problem. They were misunderstanding each other because there was a lack of sensitivity to each other’s cultural norms. 4. Both individuals in this scenario were acting in alignment with their cultural norms and values. Who should have the primary responsibility for changing their interaction style? When is it “too much”, as Michael suggests in the Afterthoughts, and necessary to refuse to change one’s business style? This question should generate an interesting discussion among students. Some factors to consider may be who has more to gain (leverage) in the situation, whose values and norms are relatively stronger, etc. Learning Objective #3: To explore aspects of self-awareness using Johari’s Window as a model. 1. Apply the concepts of the Johari Window to this scenario (see PPT 8-10 and 8-11). How do these concepts help explain what happened in this scenario? As relationships progress, more information about oneself becomes known to others and to oneself. Disclosure and feedback flow more freely which enhances a relationship. In this scenario, Michael was not disclosing at all and did not seem to interpret subtle hints of feedback. This approach was not consistent with what Norio had come to expect from his interactions with Roger.  6. Michael should [when Norio says “I’m sure we’ll have a good relationship in the future”]: A. Be angry B. Be gracious C. Keep trying At this point, being angry or continuing to try would not result in positive outcomes. He needs to be gracious and then reevaluate his approach with Norio. Scenario #9: Project Management: Steering the Committee I. Introduction Conflict among work groups is a common problem in organizations. This scenario depicts an organizational conflict and highlights different conflict management styles. A discussion of these styles and their effectiveness would be valuable for students in Management or Organizational Behavior courses studying organizational conflict. II. Learning Objectives 1. To assess students’ understanding of the sources of conflict and the conflict process. 2. To analyze and evaluate different conflict management styles. 3. To identify ways to ensure functional, rather than dysfunctional, conflict occurs. III. Scenario Description: Overview: Three months ago, Patrick was given goal of implementing a computerized tracking system on the factory floor with the expectations that it would raise quality control and workflow by a significant percentage. The team spends an enormous amount of time revising/fixing chips after they fail quality control testing – mostly due to lack of information. There would be a serious review of the project after the first phase is complete – that is now. Patrick is called to a meeting with three top executives. The tracking system project is very costly and has not been proven, although the company was gung-ho, because their competitors were using all sorts of computerized systems in their production facilities. Patrick has spent a little time writing a report, but is feeling generally confident. Profile: • Patrick Bennett is the Managing Supervisor of Production at TechBox, a desktop design software house, who oversees production and supervises a floor of 50 employees. • Morgan Baines is the Vice President of Distribution. He works at corporate headquarters and builds relationships with potential clients in expanding markets. • Lucinda Bergen is the Director of Product Management. She oversees all production at TechBox’s manufacturing factories. She works directly with the factory managers and reports to corporate headquarters. • Sam Adelson is the VP of Operations. His responsibilities include overseeing department managers at the manufacturing factories and corporate headquarters. He also acts as a liaison between his company and the officers of a number of high-end computer companies. References: The references included in the DVD are: • Sources of Conflict (PPT 9-3) • The Conflict Process (PPT 9-4) • Conflict Management Styles (PPT 9-7) • Structural Approaches to Conflict Management (PPT 9-9) Back History: TechBox produces a specialized computer chip for a large client base of high-end computer companies such as Dell, IBM, and Compaq. Within the TechBox compound are the manufacturing factories and the corporate headquarters. Patrick Bennett is the new hotshot manager overseeing the production of the main component of the chip. He has started to implement a computerized tracking system to increase quality control and workflow. He supervises a floor of 50 workers. Patrick has been working at TechBox for 2 years and has been widely praised for numerous successes and improvements on the factory floor – improvements with very positive financial results. He is young and motivated, possessing a unique comprehension of production/engineering knowledge and management sensibilities. He is greatly admired by his team and generally received well by top senior management. Sam Adelson has worked his way up from the mailroom. He does not embrace change and is skeptical of young hot shots and young people in general. He also does not embrace computerized system enhancements, which is odd for a man in high tech. In a nutshell, he’s stodgy, grumpy, and difficult. Lucinda Bergen is the only female executive at TechBox. She is generally compassionate, understanding, and easy going, but is quick to defend her position within the company and over assert herself when she feels confronted. She is very comfortable with young, talented people and has instituted many technological systems for workflow improvement within her own department. Morgan Baines is the class clown and jokester of the company. He speaks without thinking – supports, attacks, and withdraws without rhyme or reason. Everyone always has the impression that he’s on their side; the kind of guy who agrees with the last person who spoke. He’s been around very many years, successfully overseeing product distribution – between wisecracks. Scene Set-up: A meeting is held with key stakeholders of Patrick’s project to discuss the status of it in terms of time and budget. Scene Location: TechBox conference room The Meeting - Summary: Stakeholders in the project note their concern with the project going over budget and missing deadlines. Patrick, the project manager, defends himself and assures them that everything will work out because the longest phase of the project is complete. He cites his past track record and says the budget may go over just a little but it will be ok. The other team members say that going over budget is not an option. He concedes and says he will take a look at exactly how he can improve the progress of the project. They agree to meet again in a week for a status check. One Week Later - Patrick assures the group that they are now firmly under budget and plan to be done on time. Lucinda mentions that Frank, one of Patrick’s employees, said he thought the project was going to be late. Patrick defends himself by saying that Frank’s role would not allow him to be privy to all the information that Patrick knows and that he has this job for a reason – his talent and prior track record. Sam suggests supporting Patrick with an additional staff member. Patrick doesn’t think that would be necessary. Instead he suggests a daily email to the group updating the project in terms of budget and deadlines. They compromise by having the “1st deputy” be responsible for sending those daily emails and keeping track of all the relevant numbers. Afterthoughts – Summary: Patrick doesn’t think the meeting went very well. He says he didn’t feel listened to and was upset that the group was more persuaded by people indirectly involved in the project than by him. He felt he did ok and tried to work with them on an individual basis. In the second meeting, he said if he hadn’t stood his ground they would have “squished” him. Dossier: The specific artifacts included in the DVD are: 1. Bennett’s Progress Report 5/6/02 2. Bennett’s Progress Report 5/31/02 3. Voice message from Frank Jambey to Lucinda Bergen IV. Discussion Questions: The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 9-1 to 9-10. Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of the sources of conflict and the conflict process. 1. What sources of conflict were present in this scenario? Refer to PPT 9-3 to construct your answer. Many sources of conflict come into to play here. Ambiguous rules may have been a source of conflict because Patrick didn’t seem to think that going over budget a little was going to be a big problem. He found out that that would be completely unacceptable which caused him to reevaluate his costs. Related to the budget – scarce resources may also be a factor contributing to this conflict. The other project members continually stress the need for the project to be on time and under budget. Communications are also contributing to this conflict because people were not actively listening to each other. Also, other communication channels (e.g., Frank) had an impact on the discussion and caused frustration for Patrick. 2. On PPT 9-4, The Conflict Process, overt behaviors are depicted as indicators of manifest conflict. What overt behaviors did you identify during this scenario? Lucinda repeatedly rolled her eyes and displayed negative affect towards Patrick. She was also very impatient and insulted Patrick by saying that interrupting him would get him off track. Patrick went on the defensive almost immediately. Adelson maintained composure but insinuated a lack of confidence in Patrick.  1. Patrick’s strategy should be to: A. Emphasize progress B. Defend himself C. Impress superiors Patrick should emphasize his progress in terms that the rest of the group will understand and be persuaded by. Defending himself based on his reputation will only go so far to influencing the group on this particular issue. Emphasizing his progress will impress his superiors. In actuality, Patrick defended himself based on his past reputation.  2. What does Sam Adelson insinuate about Patrick [when he calls him a hot- shot]? A. He’s arrogant B. He’s incompetent C. He’s inexperienced Adelson insinuates that Patrick is inexperienced, though apparently competent. The comment falls short of actually signifying confidence in Patrick.  3. How was this [first] meeting? A. A success B. A failure C. A good start Patrick thinks it was a failure because he did not feel supported or listened to. Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate different conflict management styles. 1. Various conflict management styles are depicted on PPT 9-7. For each of the participants in the scenario, describe which style(s) they used and cite examples to support your answer. Lucinda – Competing – she doesn’t seem to want to listen to Patrick’s position or reasoning and puts roadblocks up to any suggestion that is not her own. Sam – Compromises – he tries to give Patrick more support which is initially rejected but then reinforces Patrick’s daily email idea with a person to perform that function Patrick – attempts Competing in that he rejects any suggestions for changing the current situation. He eventually attempts to compromise with the daily email idea. In the end he seems to accommodate to the rest of the group in accepting additional help. Morgan – Avoidance – he really stays out of any substantive discussion on this project.  4. How should Patrick respond [when Lucinda says “Frank says you will need an additional 3 weeks’]? A. Defame Frank B. Provide facts C. Admit fault Patrick indirectly defames Frank by saying he is in a lower-level position for a reason. A more persuasive technique would have been to provide facts to refute Frank’s claim. If Frank was correct, than Patrick should have admitted fault. Learning Objective #3: To identify ways to ensure functional, rather than dysfunctional, conflict occurs. 1. Review the Structural Approaches to Conflict Management (PPT 9-9). Several approaches to minimizing dysfunctional conflict are provided. Identify at least two specific actions taken by members of the group to minimize dysfunctional conflict. Clarify rules and procedures – Patrick suggests a daily email to keep the group posted on the project. This will minimize conflict by continually monitoring the situation so there are no surprises. Increase resources – Sam offered to provide Patrick with a #2 deputy to assist him in managing the project. 2. Choose two approaches (on PPT 9-9) and provide specific examples of what could have been done in this scenario to reduce dysfunctional conflict. The superordinate goals that all members share should have been discussed up front. This guides the discussion and ensures that information provided is maximally influential to other group members. Improve communication and understanding – group members should have tried to take the others’ perspectives. Many behaviors indicated that people were not actively listening and had pre-determined ideas on the best course of action and were not willing to change.  5. Confidence is low. Patrick should: A. Fight back B. Accept help C. Clarify position It’s unclear why Patrick is resistant to accept help other than to preserve his ego. Generally resources are difficult to acquire and he is being offered another staff person to help him. Ultimately he does accept the help but at first he refuses.  6. How should Patrick respond? A. Refuse offer B. Change approach C. Accept offer Once it is established that he will maintain control over the project, he agrees to the offer. Scenario #10: Diversity: Mediating Morality I. Introduction The diversity of employees and the potential conflict that may arise as a result is the focus of this scenario. Specifically, sexual orientation as a dimension of workplace diversity is presented here. This scene provides a background for a rich and compelling discussion of how to handle difficult issues related to individual differences. Applying this situation to other dimensions of diversity (e.g., religion, gender) will further the discussion and highlight to students the challenges of managing a diverse workforce. II. Learning Objectives 1. To assess students’ understanding of workplace diversity and diversity management. 2. To analyze and evaluate approaches to managing diversity in the workplace. 3. To identify equal employment laws relevant to diversity management. III. Scenario Description: Overview: At the conclusion of a previous meeting between Syl Tang and two employees, Daniel Simmons and Bob Franklin, Daniel asked Tang about the same-sex partner benefits that he had requested earlier, incidentally informing Bob Franklin that he was homosexual. Bob expressed both discomfort and disapproval, and refused to continue to work with Daniel as a result of this revelation. Tang suggested meeting with each of them separately to discuss their concerns and then to regroup and discuss a solution. The individual meetings have taken place and now they are meeting together. Profile: • Syl Tang is the Senior Supervisor of Research and Production at EarthFirst Pharmaceuticals, a company dedicated to the research and production of vaccines for various diseases. She manages eight different teams with specific areas of specialization. • Daniel Simmons is a Vaccines Manager. He is an expert in tropical plants and botanical remedies. He leads a team of scientists and collaborates with other research teams at EarthFirst. He is also active in procuring funding for further research. • Bob Franklin is a Natural Resources Manager and is an expert in certain types of chemical re-actives. In his role as Natural Resources Manager, he leads a team of scientists and collaborates with other research teams at EarthFirst. He is also active in procuring funding for further research. References: The references included in the DVD are: • Dimensions of Workplace Diversity (PPT 10-3) • Managerial Roles and Diversity (PPT 10-4) • Promoting Effective Management of Diversity (PPT 10-6) • Major Equal Employment Laws (PPT 10-9) Back History: Syl has been the supervisor for seven years and is highly respected and regarded. Her teams often cross-collaborate on special projects – each team has a specialized field of expertise. The teams are quite large, totaling over 100 people. With such a large department, Syl has less one on one contact with the employees than she would like. Simmons and Franklin have not worked together often, just on one or two short-term projects. They are currently collaborating on a high-pressure project, heading down the homestretch. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened at the office for a while. Tang is compiling her end of the month reports, without much stress or pressure. Simmons and Franklin are at the stage of their joint project where they are separately recording the joint findings as it pertains to their field of expertise. Simmons is gay and just started planning a commitment ceremony with his partner of 4 years. Simmons has never made any declaration in the office about being homosexual – some people know, some don’t. Scene Set-up: Simmons, Franklin, and Tang meet to discuss how they can meet the project’s objectives. Scene Location: Tang’s office The Meeting - Summary: Syl explains that she and Bob have discussed a solution that would enable two of Bob’s employees to take on a larger responsibility and still meet the needs of the project. Daniel states that Bob simply doesn’t want to work with him anymore because he is a gay man. He is concerned that if the word gets out that Bob was uncomfortable working with Daniel and found another solution, then a precedent will be set that negatively impact Daniel’s career. Syl argues that if Daniel didn’t get along with another co-worker she would not make Daniel work with him/her if there was another equally viable solution. She says that no one’s personal life will be discussed outside of this meeting and Daniel strongly disagrees. Syl suggests that Daniel come up with an alternative proposal and discuss it with her on Monday. Afterthoughts – Summary: Syl admits that Daniel has a good point because Bob probably will tell others that Daniel is gay. She doesn’t feel that Daniel is being discriminated against because as long as the project is completed well, he will receive the credit regardless of how the other team was staffed. She suggests that Bob should probably attend sensitivity training but says that there’s not much that can be done about employee’s personal feelings. Dossier: The specific artifacts included in the DVD are: 1. Benefits Policy Excerpt 2. Daniel Simmon’s Engagement Invitation 3. Harassment Policy IV. Discussion Questions: The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 10-1 to 10-9. Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of workplace diversity and diversity management. 1. The Dimensions of Workplace Diversity are provided in PPT 10-3. List all of the dimensions of diversity you observed in this scenario. Students will point out evidence of the diversity, beyond sexual orientation present among the three employees. Race, ethnicity, age, gender, behavioral style, occupation 2. Which of the managerial roles shown on PPT 10-4 did Syl demonstrate? Syl took on the role of the disturbance handler and liaison. 3. How effective was Syl in performing the roles you cited in #2? Syl’s approach was very task-focused and she was interested in finding ways to separate the two co-workers rather than figuring out a way for them to work together. Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate approaches to managing diversity in the workplace. 1. Provide examples from the scenario in which Syl either effectively or ineffectively promoted diversity. Use the information in PPT 10-6 to support your answer. Syl did not effectively increase the accuracy of perceptions or encourage flexibility. She seemed very willing to let Bob change the staffing of the project simply because he was uncomfortable around a gay man. Thus, he has predicted that a negative interaction will take place simply because Daniel is gay, when they have been working together fine in the past. Syl should attempt to challenge Bob on this belief. She also did not empower Daniel to challenge discriminatory behavior. When Daniel did, she shut him down and explained that this was an appropriate solution. She provided an analogy of two co-workers who don’t get along – a similar solution would work for them.  1. What is Syl’s objective [when suggesting to delegate certain portions of Bob’s work to Ralph and Jennifer]? A. Avoid conflict B. Complete project C. Mend team Syl states that her goal is to complete the project. It seems she is also interested in avoiding conflict by separating the two co-workers. There is no indication that she wants to mend the team.  2. Daniel’s perception [that Syl is letting Bob’s personal opinion affect a working relationship] is: A. Clouded B. Accurate C. Biased Syl believes that Daniel’s perception is clouded. Students should debate this issue. It seems that it is accurate given the fact that the working relationship is ceasing and Syl is trying to find alternative staffing models to complete the project.  3.How should Syl respond [to personal attacks in the meeting]? A. Mediate B. Change topic C. End meeting Syl believes she should change the topic. Again, students should discuss the pros and cons of this action. What are the dangers of not addressing the issue at hand, what are the advantages?  4. What is the main issue [when Syl states there is not going to be a discussion of anybody’s personal life]? A. Confidentiality B. Completing project C. Upholding morals Syl believes the main issue is completing the project. Confidentiality as a concern doesn’t make much sense since there was an email invitation to Daniel’s engagement party distributed to the entire company.  5. Why does Syl propose this [having Daniel come up with an alternative solution]? A. Shirk responsibility B. Mediation tactic C. Empower Daniel Syl is attempting to empower Daniel. Students should discuss the effectiveness of this approach. Isn’t it clear that Daniel wants to continue the working relationship? What valid reason has been given to change the working relationship? Learning Objective #3: To identify equal employment laws relevant to diversity management. 1. According to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, is Daniel being unlawfully discriminated against (see PPT 10-9)? No, Title VII does not protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. However, same-sex sexual harassment was found to be illegal by the Supreme Court in Oncale vs. Sundowner Offshore Service, In. (1998). 2. According to EarthFirst’s Harassment policy, is Daniel being discriminated against? Yes, the policy clearly states that employees who feel they are being discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation have recourse. 3. What are the long-term implications of allowing Bob to refuse to work with Daniel? If Syl allows and condones this action, it could become a slippery slope. Daniel has a point (and Syl admits this in the Afterthoughts) that this will set a precedent for other employees to not accept Daniel because he is different from them. 4. What actions should Daniel take next if he is separated from other employees? Daniel should follow the procedures clearly defined in the company’s harassment policy. Scenario #11: Personal Disclosure: Confession Coincidence? I. Introduction This scenario demonstrates how disclosure of personal information and how friendships between managers and employees can create difficult situations. Management and Organizational Behavior students will enjoy analyzing this case and discussing the pros and cons of various actions. This case could also be used in a Human Resources course when discussing the Americans with Disabilities act, as the situation deals with a recovering alcoholic and potential discrimination. II. Learning Objectives 1. To assess students’ understanding of the self-disclosure process in the workplace. 2. To analyze and evaluate the “friend/manager” role in the workplace. 3. To analyze organizational downsizing strategies. III. Scenario Description: Overview: Kathleen Doerder has set up a meeting with an employee, Janeen Winthrop, who has a recent record of poor performance. Although Kathleen has met with Janeen on two prior occasions to discuss the issue, the poor performance and frequent absences and tardiness, have continued. Janeen’s behavior has disrupted workflow, negatively affecting a number of colleagues within the department. Profile: • Kathleen Doerder is the Manager of a 65-employee marketing department at Gen-Y.net, an internet travel agency selling customized surprise adventure trips around the world. • Janeen Winthrop works with the creative marketing department to produce radio and print advertisements. She works within a team of 15, generating concepts and assisting in the implementation and layout of designs. References: The references included in the DVD are: • Components of Self-Disclosure (PPT 11-3) • Benefits of Self-Disclosure (PPT 11-4) • Elements of Trust (PPT 11-7) • Tips for Developing Trust (PPT 11-8) Back History: Janeen has never been known for her punctuality, which has never been a big deal – it’s actually become one of the running jokes in the department. But now it is becoming a big deal – very big. Janeen has been showing up later and later, more and more frequently over the course of six weeks. It is becoming problematic – Kathleen is quite torn: she feels she should be lenient, knowing Janeen is truly devoted to maintaining an enthusiastic and content staff and is always persistent in her efforts to make things work out. Janeen is a recovered alcoholic and has been sober for eight years. Over the past six weeks, she’s had a few relapses. Janeen has been very close-mouthed about her alcoholism and has shared it with no one – on social occasions, she claims to never have had any interest in alcohol and simply prefers to not partake. As of two weeks ago she’s been going to AA twice a day. She’s not drinking and is over the hump. Scene Set-up: Kathleen meets with Janeen to discuss her tardiness and performance problems. Scene Location: Kathleen’s Office The Meeting - Summary: Kathleen explains to Janeen that she has noted increased tardiness and poor performance. Kathleen tries to get Janeen to divulge what is going on in her life personally that could explain this sudden downturn in performance. Janeen breaks down in tears and reveals that she is a recovering alcoholic who had a relapse in the past six weeks but she is returning to AA and is getting back on track. Kathleen is sympathetic to this issue and suggests that she take the rest of the week off and then return on Monday. Kathleen indicates that if Janeen continues to be late, she’ll have to report the issue to HR, otherwise, she will not share this information with anyone. Two months later – The company has suffered financially and needs to lay off employees. Kathleen explains that Janeen is being laid off because of her seniority, not her performance. Janeen is outraged and accuses Kathleen of using the personal information she divulged against her. She threatens to sue and storms out. Afterthoughts – Summary: Kathleen says that it was hard not to get emotionally involved with Janeen when she broke down and cried but she had to stay even-keeled. Kathleen says that being friends with her employees is a strategy she uses to improve relations among co-workers. Being Janeen’s friend made it hard to tell her she was being laid off. If she didn’t lay her off, others would think it was because of nepotism. When she did lay her off Janeen thought it was because of the personal information Janeen shared. Dossier: The specific artifacts included in the DVD are: 1. J. Winthrop Performance Notes: 4/8/02 2. J. Winthrop Performance Notes: 6/7/02 3. Company-wide Notice on Layoffs IV. Discussion Questions: The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 11-1 to 11-10. Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of the self-disclosure process in the workplace. 1. Review the Components of Self-Disclosure (PPT 11-3). Based on Janeen’s behavior in the scenario, what basic steps and tips did she exemplify or violate? Janeen did share her feelings and focused mainly on the present by indicating what she was doing now to solve the problem. It’s unclear what level of disclosure she had provided to Kathleen in the past so it’s hard to tell if it was gradual or not. From the scenario, it appears that she did not maintain a reciprocal level with her manager, but, again, we don’t know what prior personal conversations may have taken place. Student’s answers will vary as to the appropriateness of the disclosure at this point in time. Discuss the level of disclosure Janeen provided and what other approach she may have taken. 2. What benefits of self-disclosure (see PPT 11-4) did Janeen realize? What were the disadvantages of her self-disclosure? Janeen probably enjoyed many of the benefits listed on the slide. Specifically, she was given time off to continue to make progress on her recovery. Janeen perceives that her disclosure was a major disadvantage because it caused her to be fired. Again, it may be useful to discuss more moderate levels of disclosure that Janeen could have taken to prevent this situation.  1. What is Kathleen’s strategy [in the initial meeting]? A. Identify problem B. Threaten Janeen C. Be compassionate Janeen wants to understand Janeen’s problem because her work performance is suddenly different.  2. Janeen’s disclosure [about her relapse] is: A. Inappropriate B. Appropriate C. Irrelevant Because she was pressed by Kathleen, Janeen’s disclosure was appropriate. It appeared that that was the type of information Kathleen was looking for. However, it may not have been the best course of action for Janeen. Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate the “friend/manager” role in the workplace. 1. What tips for building trust did Kathleen employ in this scenario? Provide examples from the scenario to support your answer. (see PPT 11-7 and PPT 11-8) She kept the lines of communication open by soliciting information with Janeen and by having repeated meetings with her regarding her performance. She says she kept the information about Janeen’s alcoholism confidential. 2. How did the friendship with Janeen affect Kathleen when the company decided to downsize? Kathleen was stuck in a very difficult situation because she had used her friendship with Janeen to get her to reveal information that may have affected her decision on who to lay-off. Even if the information did not affect her decision, the appearance that it did is hard to defend. On the one hand, Kathleen wants to be open and honest with her employees, but she also wants to maintain complete professionalism and make business-related decisions. This scenario depicts the fact that this is a hard line to walk.  3. Kathleen’s response [that she will have to write Janeen up and tell human resources if she doesn’t improve] is: A. Too strict B. Too gentle C. Irresponsible Student’s answers will vary and this should generate a good discussion about how the friendship/management role differentiation is challenging. Learning Objective #3: To analyze organizational downsizing strategies. 1. After reviewing the “Company-wide Notice on Layoffs”, do you believe Kathleen made the right decision in laying off Janeen? Why or why not? The memo says that the first round of lay-offs will be based on performance, not seniority. Then, seniority will be the determining factor if more layoffs are required. During her conversation with Janeen, Kathleen refers to her seniority as the reason she is being laid off. Janeen indicates that she is the first one to be laid off and her performance has been excellent. Kathleen agrees and “J. Winthrop Performance Notes: 6/7/02” describe Janeen’s excellent recent performance. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense that Janeen should be the one laid off first. Perhaps, her performance when she suffered her relapse was taken into consideration? Discuss the students’ perspectives on this.  4. Kathleen’s delivery [regarding Janeen’s layoff] is: A. Compassionate B. Cold C. Professional Student’s answers will vary. It seems that she may be a little cold and also doesn’t really provide an adequate explanation or effectively refute Janeen’s accusations.  5. Janeen’s argument [that she is being discriminated against] is: A. Valid B. Over-emotional C. Off target She seems to jump to conclusions without asking for more information which indicates that she is a little over-emotional. However, her suspicions could be valid if Kathleen’s choice was biased and based on seniority rather than overall performance to determine her layoff.  6. Is there a discrimination case? A. Absolutely B. Definitely not C. Possibly It’s definitely possible because individual’s who are recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction and actively seeking help are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Therefore, for the reasons mentioned in the answer to #1 above, Janeen may have a case. Scenario #12: Virtual Workplace: Out of the Office Reply I. Introduction Telecommuting is a flexible working option that many companies have embraced. The advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting are highlighted in this scenario. Instructors of Management or Human Resources may use this situation to discuss managing teleworkers and the need for clear and consistent policies. II. Learning Objectives 1. To assess students’ understanding of the challenges of telecommuting. 2. To analyze and evaluate managerial actions related to telecommuting. III. Scenario Description: Overview: Three months ago, Ralph Ramos assigned a number of employees to work as telecommuters to alleviate the lack of space in their office building. Among them was Angela Zononi, an employee and friend for over four years, who was delighted to work from home since her commute to the office was particularly time-consuming. Although things went relatively smoothly for the first six weeks, since then communication and performance have taken a steady downturn. Angela has biweekly meetings with Ralph in his office. Lately they have had unprecedented arguments and frequent misunderstandings. Profile: • Ralph Ramos is the Senior Manager of Claims, managing a 75 employee department, at Saber Union Insurance, an international insurance company. • Angela Zanoni is a Claims Investigator at Saber Union. She has handled very large accounts, including insurance fraud cases, resulting in multi-million dollar recoveries for her company. References: The references included in the DVD are: • Advantages and Challenges for Employees (PPT 12-3) • Advantages and Challenges for Employer (PPT 12-5) • Telework Assessment Tool (PPT 12-7) • Supervisor Checklist for Telecommuters (PPT 12-9) Back History: Angela was one of five employees that moved to home offices three months ago. She had volunteered right off the bat because she could spend more time with her family if she eliminated all that commuter time [on a bad day she was losing over three hours roundtrip!] The telecommuting has had it’s ups and downs but her relationship with Ralph is going downhill. They’ve been having frequent misunderstandings, and a few small arguments. Angela feels that Ralph’s operating on an out of sight out of mind mentality. He doesn’t even seem to read the email reports very closely. They do meet every two weeks at the office as a check-in but it’s a pure formality. To make matters worse, a colleague who works in the office told her about all the high stakes claims another investigator, Bob, has been working on. Angela hasn’t had anything ‘hot’ in weeks. Ralph is happy with the way things are working out. The office is no longer over-crowded or disturbingly noisy. The telecommuters are doing their work and reporting regularly. He is having more trouble staying on top of their reports and their projects but that’s probably because he’s so busy. Scene Set-up: Ralph and Angela are meeting to discuss their recent miscommunications and Angela reveals her dissatisfaction with her recent treatment. Scene Location: Ralph’s Office The Meeting - Summary: Ralph brings up the missed deadline and Angela says she was not informed that the deadline had been moved. Ralph explains how the information was conveyed. She says she feels that she is out of sight, out of mind and that since she began telecommuting it has hurt her career. She notes that Bob has received more high-stakes claims than her recently. Ralph explains that assignments to employees are based on their talents and experience and that Bob had experience with one client which is why he chose him. Ralph says he didn’t realize she was feeling this way and wasn’t prepared. He suggests they meet later. Two weeks later – Angela misses an appointment with Ralph and deliberately fails to provide work on time. Ralph wants to understand what has happened to change the good working relationship they had. Angela threatens to resign, but Ralph maintains his composure and urges her to try to work out a solution with him. They decide that for the next two weeks they will talk on the phone everyday. Then, they will decide if Angela should come back to the office rather than telecommute. Afterthoughts – Summary: Ralph states his strategy was to listen to Angela. He notes that he often has issues with people working from home because it’s difficult to keep track of what is going on. He feels voicemail and email are impersonal. He drafts written plans with employees who want to work from home that outlines goals. The plans are executed on a temporary basis until it is clear that they will work and then he gives final approval. Dossier: The specific artifacts included in the DVD are: 1. Emails between Ramos and Zanoni 2. Voicemail from Sorento to Zanoni 3. Ramos’ Assistant’s Voicemails to Zanoni IV. Discussion Questions: The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 12-1 to 12-9. Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of the challenges of telecommuting. 1. What advantages and disadvantages to telecommuting is Angela experiencing? See PPT 12-3. Angela enjoys not having to commute and likes to be closer and more available for her family. The voicemail from her friend indicates that she may be losing the personal relationships she enjoyed at work because of decreased interaction. She clearly feels left out of certain decisions and is concerned her career may be impeded.  1. How should Ralph respond [when Angela says “since I’ve been working from home, I’m out of sight”]? A. Compassionately B. Clarify issues C. Debate point Ralph attempts to clarify the issues to calm Angela down. 2. What advantages and disadvantages to managing a telecommuter is Ralph experiencing? See PPT 12-5. His intention was to improve moral and job satisfaction of Angela by cutting down her commuting time. In actuality, the opposite result has occurred. He blames this on the difficulty coordinating and controlling staff and monitoring their performance. He is clearly frustrated by not being able to reach Angela readily when important work-related matters arise.  2. What is Ralph’s strategy? A. Emphasize strengths B. Hide biases C. Change topic Ralph tries to emphasize Angela’s strengths and explains that Bob was chosen for the higher stakes assignment because of is past experience, not because he is in the office more regularly.  3. How was this [initial] meeting? A. Successful B. A failure C. A good start It appeared that the meeting was a good start, but Angela’s actions in between the two meetings indicates that she is very upset and feels discriminated against because of her working arrangement. Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate managerial actions related to telecommuting. 1. What should Angela have done to prepare herself for telework? Refer to PPT 12-7. Angela needed to really assess whether her work style was suited for telecommuting. While there are obvious advantages (shorter commute time), there are some less obvious disadvantages. One needs to assess themselves on the degree that the reality of telework will impact them. The questions found in PPT 12-7 would be a good start in this assessment.  4. Angela is dejected. Ralph should focus on: A. Her value B. Her poor performance C. His mistakes Ralph should help Angela realize her value to the organization and explain that he did not intend to make her feel left out. 2. What should Ralph have done to prevent this problem from occurring? Refer to PPT 12-9. Completing the Checklist provided in the slide would be effective. Specifically, for their situation, a more formalized communication process needs to be created.  5. What should Ralph do [when Angela says she want to resign]? A. Accept resignation B. Try new approach C. End meeting Because Angela is a valuable and long-time employee he should try a new approach with her to urge her to work out this problem.  6. What’s Ralph’s next step? A. Find replacement B. Communication often C. Reassign work load Ralph’s next step is to communicate more frequently with Angela to see if performance improves and if the telecommuting arrangement will work in the future. Scenario #13: Listening Skills: Yeah, Whatever I. Introduction Organizational Behavior and Management instructors will find this scenario useful in depicting behaviors associated with active listening (and not listening). An analysis of the interaction will reinforce communication concepts including: the communication process, the components of active listening, and information processing. Communication networks may also be reinforced by this scenario. II. Learning Objectives 1. To assess students’ understanding of the communication process. 2. To analyze and evaluate the components of active listening in a novel scenario. III. Scenario Description: Overview: Pilar Grimault has scheduled a meeting with her department’s young Creative Director, Miguel Valentino. He has recently completed a campaign for a longstanding client, Jezebel. Although the campaign was a huge success, the client has complained to Pilar about Miguel’s project management skills. Profile: • Pilar Grimault is the Senior Account Manager at Midnight Visions, a worldwide advertising agency, after having been a Creative Director for Midnight in London. She manages teams ranging from 25 to 150 people, working on accounts for record labels, fashion houses and entertainment conglomerates. • Miguel Valentino is a Creative Designer, overseeing some of the most high profile accounts for record labels and design houses, and managing global teams of five people. References: The references included in the DVD are: • The Communication Process (PPT 13-3) • Components of Active Listening (PPT 13-5) • Information Processing (PPT 13-6) • Communication Networks (PPT 13-10) Back History: At Midnight, Account managers oversee four to six accounts at any given time. Some of Miguel’s current accounts are Jezebel, Antonioni, and HotSpot. This is the first time Miguel has had three high profile accounts at the same time – a result of shifting schedules and production slow downs. Pilar has a lot of confidence in Miguel, but because he’s had less experience than most, watches over him more closely. In addition to reviewing the Account reports, she has casually/subtly checked in with some of the team members and some of the clients about Miguel’s performance – most of the news is great with a few things that could and should have been handled better. This is really a positive review and the trouble spots at this stage of the game are minor. But they still need to be addressed. The trouble spots she is most concerned with involve The Jezebel Account – Miguel went over budget [$11,000!] and then charged the client for overages without checking with/warning them in advance. They were thrilled with the end media and were okay about the overages – but not the process. Today is the review. Scene Set-up: Pilar and Miguel meet to discuss the Jezebel account. Scene Location: Pilar’s Office The Meeting - Summary: Miguel enters Pilar’s office on cloud nine because of the great work he did for Jezebel. Pilar congratulates him but has to bring up the fact the client was not happy with the management of the project. Miguel is completely distracted (reads magazine, checks voicemail) and does not listen to Pilar. He becomes defensive when she offers the solution of having his assistant provide budget reports. He half-heartedly agrees with her suggestion and then leaves in a huff. Three weeks later – Miguel is shocked that Jezebel has asked him to be removed as project manager from the campaign. Pilar notes that if he had listened to her three weeks ago, this situation could have been avoided. Miguel becomes very responsive and actively listens to her suggestions for improvement. Afterthoughts – Summary: Pilar feels the first meeting was a failure because Miguel’s body language indicated that he was distracted and not listening to her. She felt this was very unprofessional behavior. After the second meeting Pilar acknowledges that losing the account got Miguel’s attention and will now take her suggestion more seriously. Dossier: The specific artifacts included in the DVD are: 1. Memo from Jezebel to Grimault 2. Emails between Sampson and Grimault 3. Voicemail from Susan to Miguel IV. Discussion Questions: The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 13-1 to 13-10. Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of the communication process. 1. During their initial meeting, what “noise” was present that hindered Miguel and Pilar’s ability to communicate successfully? Refer to PPT 13-3. Miguel was so excited about the end result of his project that he could not focus on any negative information. The fact that the information Pilar was trying to relay was negative exacerbated the problem even more. Miguel’s distraction caused him to read a review of his project and answer his cell phone during his meeting with his boss. These behaviors prevented Pilar’s message from being successfully received.  1. Miguel’s response [to Jezebel’s concern about the budget] is: A. Appropriate B. Missing the point C. Disrespectful Miguel missed the point and was being disrespectful to his boss.  2. The trouble spot is: A. Miguel’s distracted B. Pilar’s too passive C. A misunderstanding Miguel is very distracted because he is so excited about his final product. Pilar has failed to explain how important the issue is, too. Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate the components of active listening in a novel scenario. 1. What components of active listening did Miguel demonstrate (or fail to)? Refer to PPT 13-5. Miguel failed to exhibit any of the components of active listening as indicated by the following behaviors. • He displays defensive/closed body language. • He’s preoccupied - looking out window/reading something else. • He jumps in at every opportunity just to hear himself talk [waiting for an opening to speak]. • He stops listening to think up a rebuttal for whatever she’s claiming. • He dismisses anything that doesn’t jive with his opinion. • He maximizes the negative and completely over-reacts. • He NEVER clarifies, reiterates or questions her meaning. 2. Use the Information Processing slide (PPT 13-6) to explain Miguel’s behavior in the first meeting. Miguel may have been going through a period of information overload fueled by his positive emotions regarding the success of the project. 3. What could Pilar have done to get Miguel’s full attention in the initial meeting? Student’s should discuss possible alternative approaches. Examples include… Pilar may have been more successful if she had spent a little more time congratulating Miguel and letting him continue to “brag” at first. Then she could have transitioned into discussing the next challenges in the campaign that Miguel has to look forward to and then incorporate a budget checking plan here. He may be less defensive if it is suggested as an improvement. Alternatively she could have shown Miguel the memo from the client directly to get his attention. Pilar should probably not have let Miguel leave without a commitment from him to change. His body language indicated that he was not going to follow her suggestion.  3. Miguel is not cooperating. Pilar should: A. Be forceful B. Reiterate problem C. Fire him Pilar needs to reiterate the problem but may need to be more forceful to get Miguel’s attention. Firing him doesn’t make sense because he is such a talented employee.  4. The [initial] meeting has been: A. A success B. A failure C. A bit productive A failure. Miguel’s body language indicates that what he says he’ll do is not what he intends to do. 4. How did Miguel’s behavior change in the second meeting? What indicators were there that he was listening? Miguel’s body language indicated that he was very concerned about losing the account and wanted to do what he could to get it back. He looked directly at Pilar, he took notes, he leaned forward, he didn’t interrupt, he asked clarification questions.  5. Why is this [second] meeting different? A. Pilar’s aggressive B. Miguel’s afraid C. Better communication Miguel is afraid he may lose his client and his positive reputation. As a result, there is better communication between them.  6. Miguel’s behavior: A. Remains poor B. Improved C. Is motivated Miguel’s body language and active listening indicates that he is motivated to make the necessary changes. 5. What communication network (PPT 13-10) was present in this scenario? Use examples from the scenario to support your answer. Students’ answers will vary because it is not entirely clear from the scenario. However, it would seem that Miguel would have direct communications with Pilar and the client and Pilar would have direct communications with the client and Miguel. Therefore, an all-channel communication network is likely. Scenario #14: Diversity in Hiring: Candidate Conundrum I. Introduction Interviewing and hiring qualified candidates is an important and prevalent management activity. This scenario depicts a debate between two managers regarding the hiring of two equally qualified individuals, one Caucasian and one African American. Instructors of Management or Human Resources will find this scenario to be a valuable platform to discuss legal issues and biases that can influence hiring decisions and the legal ramifications. II. Learning Objectives 1. To assess students’ understanding of biases that may affect the hiring decision. 2. To analyze and evaluate a novel interviewing and hiring process. 3. To identify legal issues relevant to hiring. III. Scenario Description: Overview: Robert Gedaliah has interviewed fifteen candidates to fill the new Customer Outreach Representative position, and narrowed it down to two. He invited Paul Munez, the customer service team leader, for the second interview of these two candidates. The interviews proceed smoothly, with both candidates demonstrating appropriate levels of experience, skills and general intelligence. Paul and Robert will discuss the two candidates and reach a decision. Profile: • Robert Gedaliah is the Founder and President of Beck ‘n Call, a delivery service with a staff of over 200 with many fleets of transportation, and warehousing an eclectic inventory of products. Robert oversees all of the departments, including human resources, operations, and accounting. • Paul Munez is the Customer Service Director. He oversees the customer outreach representatives, and is involved in marketing to the expanding client base. References: The references included in the DVD are: • Women-of-Color Managers Survey (PPT 14-7) • Title VII Civil Rights Act of 1964 (PPT 14-9) • Title VII Record of Charges 2002 (PPT 14-10) • Title VII: Definitions (PPT 14-11) Back History: Beck ‘n Call is growing at a rapid rate – Robert knows its wise to take a precise and cautious approach towards growth, and scrutinizes all aspects. He has interviewed 15 people for the new Customer Outreach Rep. and has narrowed it down to two very qualified and intelligent young women. As is his policy, he has invited the team leader in for the follow-up interview. He also has a preference for group interviews because the dynamics are richer and therefore better reflect reality. Robert and Paul have a very good relationship – when they do have disagreements they are understanding and accepting of their differences and compromise when necessary. Robert doesn’t think too highly of the swinging bachelor persona, but it hasn’t affected job performance – anyway, it’s diversity that makes life interesting. Discrimination and diversity issues have become more complex now that the company is over the 50 employee mark. Robert does try very hard to have a diverse staff, although he hasn’t had nearly as many minority applicants for any position, to make his ratios balanced. This is further complicated by the fact that his customer base itself is increasingly diverse [studies overwhelmingly show that ethnic groups will choose or dismiss a company based on whether they feel their race/ethnicity is well represented and whether there’s a positive and successful diversity policy.] Scene Set-up: Robert and Paul have finished interviewing two candidates and are meeting to decide who to hire. Scene Location: Robert’s office The Meeting - Summary: During the interviews, Paul’s body language is very engaged and positive toward Sonya, who is Caucasian. He smiles and nods at her and seems to enjoy their interaction. When Jacqueline, who is African American, is interviewed Paul’s body language is more closed, no smile. After the interviews Robert indicates that he likes both candidates but leans towards Jacqueline because she had sales experience. Paul likes Sonya more. Robert admits that it would be beneficial to hire an African American because there are presently very few minorities who work for Beck n’ Call and none in management. He reiterates, however, that his reasons are based on merit. He feels Sonya’s high level of enthusiasm may be a detriment to her work performance because customers may be turned off by it. He also suggests that Jacqueline would be better choice because she is married. Paul disagrees but, in the end, Robert states that they will go with Jacqueline and see how it works out. Afterthoughts – Summary: Robert says he bases hiring decisions on the person’s “total mix” including experience, education, fit with coworkers and supervisor, personality, etc. Based on that, he thinks Jacqueline is the best candidate. Dossier: The specific artifacts included in the DVD are: 1. Jacqueline’s Resume 2. Sonya’s Resume 3. Beck n’ Call Job Posting IV. Discussion Questions: The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 14-1 to 14-11. Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of biases that may affect the hiring decision. 1. Errors in evaluation are often made because of common biases that influence one’s decision making (e.g., halo, horn, contrast, similar-to-me). What evaluation biases seemed to be taking place in this scenario? It’s possible that halo error may be affecting Paul’s judgment because he continually references her enthusiasm as her “selling point” but doesn’t offer any other substantive reasons for his preference. It was also clear from his body language that he liked Sonya which may have been because of a similar-to-me effect. Robert’s comment that a positive quality in Jacqueline is that she’s married may also be a similar-to-me effect.  1. Robert is suggesting Paul has [when he says he leans towards Sonya]: A. A bias B. Different taste C. Poor judgment Robert suggests that Paul prefers Sonya because he may be attracted to her.  2. Paul’s point is [when he says Sonya would be a better fit]: A. Skewed B. Valid C. Irrelevant Given what we saw in the interview and the fact that he doesn’t support his opinion with specific reasons, it is possible that his point is skewed. 2. What advantages and disadvantages are there when using panel interviews? While disagreements may occur, this type of functional conflict can improve the decision making process. Two sets of ears listening to responses and providing interpretations typically leads to a more valid decision. However, when consensus cannot be reached through a rational discussion based on observed behaviors, someone has to make the final decision. This may cause hard feelings among panel members.  6. Robert’s decision: A. Disregards Paul B. Is premature C. Is wise Students’ answers will vary. Paul may very well feel disregarded, whether the decision is wise or not remains to be seen. The critical issue is whether Paul will embrace this decision and work hard to effectively interact with Jacqueline. Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate a novel interviewing and hiring process. 1. What valid reasons did Robert provide to persuade Paul to choose Jacqueline? Students’ answers will vary – it will depend on what they consider “valid”. Discussing Jacqueline’s relevant experience and her job-related personality characteristics is relevant to the hiring decision. When he brought up the fact she was married, he lost credibility because this fact is not job-related and could be discriminatory to unmarried applicants. The debate among students will be whether the argument that there are very few African American employees and none in management is valid.  3. The key argument is about: A. Qualifications B. Ethnicity C. Personality The key argument should be about qualifications and job-related personality characteristics, first. Ethnicity may also factor into the decision.  5. Robert’s argument [that Sonya was too enthusiastic] is: A. Relevant B. Dodging issue C. Inaccurate This question should generate an interesting debate. Good interpersonal skills and propensity for working with people is in the job description. It is possible that over-exuberance may turn off customers. The scenario doesn’t provide enough information to know for sure. Robert lost credibility when he revealed a preference for married people so it is possible that Robert is using Sonya’s enthusiasm to dodge the real issue. 2. What aspects of the Women-of-Color survey are relevant to this scenario (PPT 14-7)? How could Robert use this to support his position? The fact that there are African American employees at Beck ‘n Call but none in management positions is relevant to women of color feeling that they don’t have role models in the company. Thus, Robert’s argument that hiring Jacqueline in this management-training position is valid and may be important for the current employee’s career growth and satisfaction. Learning Objective #3: To identify legal issues relevant to hiring. 1. If Robert made the decision to hire Jacqueline because she was married, would Sonya have a case against Beck ‘n Call under Title VII? (see PPT 14-9 to 14-11). No, Title VII does not protect an individual based on their marital status. However, being married or not is typically not job-related, and therefore would be difficult to defend in a court of law. 2. Is Robert’s decision to hire Jacqueline legal? Why or why not? Yes, because Jacqueline and Sonya were at least equally qualified. The courts have ruled, however, that you cannot hire a less qualified candidate simply because they are a minority unless the organization is rectifying past discriminatory behavior. Using the argument that diversity is a strategic business necessity (e.g., to promote good will among minority customers) has not held up in court to date (See Taxman v. Board of Education of Piscataway (1993)).  4. Hiring based on quotas is: A. Illegal B. Legal C. Sometimes legal The Supreme Court ruled in City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Company (1989) that a rigid numerical quota system is unconstitutional. However, in United Steelworkers v. Weber (1979) an affirmative action plan that included a voluntary quota system agreed to by both management and the union was allowed. To reach affirmative action goals, targeted recruiting and other plans should be employed and general goals set, not specific quota systems. Solution Manual for Employee Training and Development Raymond Andrew Noe 9780078112850, 9781259539367, 9780071267786