Management

MGMT 3720 Individual Assignment 1

Attitudes and Job Satisfaction An attitude is a judgment call. Everyone evaluates everything either favorably or unfavorably. Whether judging an object, a person, or an event, people (consciously or unconsciously) develop a positive or a negative attitude toward that object, person, or event. In this assignment, students should read the Walt Henderson case study and prepare a Word document (saved as a .doc) that answers the following questions: 1. What is Walt Henderson’s attitude toward work? 2. What are the main components of Walt Henderson’s attitude toward work? 3. If Walt Henderson becomes dissatisfied in his work, what is he likely to do about it: exit the organization, voice his dissatisfaction, remain loyal, or neglect his work? 4. What can Walt Henderson’s supervisor do to insure his job satisfaction without endangering everybody else’s job satisfaction? Justify your answer theoretically and give excerpts from the case to illustrate your point of view. WALT HENDERSON1 The Wilson Construction Company (WCC) employs thirty or so draftsmen. Draftsmen are people making mechanical drawings of machines or structures. Today’s draftsmen work with computer-assisted design and drafting (CADD) technologies to produce two-dimensional or three-dimensional objects. All the WCC’s draftsmen work at drafting tables in a big room on the first floor of the company’s headquarters. The draftsmen are supervised by two inspectors. Walt Henderson, one of the draftsman, is working at his table when Ken Hardy, his supervisor, enters the room. It is 10 in the morning on Tuesday. Ken: How is it going Walt? Walt: Not bad. We’re on time with everything. Ken: Even Joe’s sketches that I asked you to check yesterday? Walt: Oh yes, I brought them home so that I would not be overwhelmed today. Ken: You know that I don’t like it when you bring work home, Walt. If I had known that you were going to do that, I would have asked Fred to help Joe. Walt: It doesn’t matter! It was my pleasure. I knew that Joe would have some trouble finishing it all for noon today. Ken: Well, what are you doing now?

Walt: I’m drafting the plans for a little boat that I want to build. Ken: I see. Do you really think that this is a good time to do that, during working hours? Walt: I have finished my work and given up three hours of my time yesterday evening just to help Joe. Besides, I’m not set up at home to draft. Where’s the harm? Ken: Well for one, it gives a bad impression to see someone do something else during working hours. You know that as well as I do. Walt: I did all my work and even more; what do you want me to do? Ken: Don’t get excited. You know that we have had the same discussion last year when you drafted your garage and my boss saw you do it. You remember I suppose? Walt: Of course, and I still think that what I do only concerns myself as long as my work is done and I don’t bother anyone. Ken: That’s your opinion. Let’s be clear: No one will tell you what you can or cannot do before or after hours, but, while you’re here, you’re supposed to earn your keep. I don’t want this to turn into another garage story. Do you hear me? Walt: OK, but I don’t understand why the rule is so strict. Just because your boss doesn’t know how much work I do around here doesn’t mean that you have to side with him. Ken: I am not siding with him. But I don’t like it when you take care of your personal business here. The first time, I didn’t say anything ... and then the boss caught you, and you haven’t been smart enough not to start again. I don’t think that you are having the right attitude about this. Walt: How can you say that? You know darn well that I am doing more work here than anyone else. Is it my fault if you can’t give me enough work to keep me busy? Ken: Walt, you are an excellent draftsman but as far as being a good employee that’s another story. Walt: Yeah, a good employee is a yes man. Ken: Not at all. A good employee works as well as the others. But a good employee also follows the rules so as not to create precedents. Imagine if everybody were to bring their personal work here! Walt: They ought to do the work you give them first. Ken: How can I force them if they see you do your own stuff at work. Walt: But I work for the company at home and nobody sees that.

Ken: Walt, is it your job to decide when and where you ought to work for the company? What a mess it would be if everyone worked at home. How could we control work? Anyway, nobody asked you to work at home. When there’s a need, the company pays for overtime. Walt: I don’t want to be paid overtime. All I want is to be treated like an honest person. Each time the company was behind schedule, I worked like mad to catch up. Now, I have a personal problem, and all I ask is to be able to use the drafting table. Is it too much to ask? Ken: I understand where you’re coming from, but I cannot treat you any differently than the others. I will remind you of the rule, and you can say that you’ve asked for it. There will no longer be any personal work done during business hours. I will let you finish these plans right now, but that’s the last time. I don’t want people to say that I have favorites. I’m sorry but that’s the way it is. Grading: This assignment will be graded on content only. If students present a text that contains all the elements required, they will earn 60 points. This assignment require 6 paragraphs:

• three elements in the first paragraph (a summary, an introduction of the topic of attitude, and a specific introduction of what will be done in the paper)

• two elements in the second paragraph (an assessment of the positivity or negativity of Walt Henderson’s attitude toward work and some excerpts from the case illustrating that assessment)

• five elements in the third paragraph (an assessment of the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of Walt Henderson’s attitude toward work, a theoretical justification/explanation of these components, and some excerpts from the case illustrating those assessments)

• three elements in the fourth paragraph (an assessment of the likely reaction of Walt Henderson if he becomes dissatisfied, a theoretical justification/explanation of the choice he might make, and some excerpts from the case illustrating that choice)

• one element in the fifth paragraph (one managerial behavior that can increase satisfaction. What can Walt Henderson’s supervisors do to insure his job satisfaction without endangering everybody else’s job satisfaction)?

• one element in the sixth paragraph (conclude the attitudinal analysis of the Walt Henderson case. Students should do the following: wrap up their analysis with a brief summary of what they have discovered or inferred about Walk Henderson’s attitude toward his work)

Each element is worth 2-10 point(s) for a total of 60 points (see Framework for answer below). Note that a standard paragraph contains a minimum of three sentences. The context of the assignment (formatting, grammar, spelling, proper citation techniques, etc.) will be assessed (and information will be given to students), but points will not be subtracted.

The presence of the proper file extension and identification header will always be verified. The absence of either will cost students 2 points. (See Syllabus for an example).

• Improper file extension = -2 points • Absence of a proper identification header at the top of the page = -2 points

Framework for Answer: First paragraph = Students should introduce the case (What is this case all about?) [Students should summarize the situation, introduce the topic of attitudes, and introduce the task at hand] [[8 points]] Second paragraph = Students should answer the first question (What is Walt Henderson’s attitude toward work?) [Is it positive? Is it negative? Students should illustrate their answer using excerpts from the case.] [[4 points]] Third paragraph = Students should answer the second question (What are the main components of Walt Henderson’s attitude toward work?) [What is the cognitive component of his attitude toward work? What is the affective component of his attitude toward work? What is the behavioral component of his attitude toward work? Students should justify their answer theoretically and illustrate their answer using excerpts from the case.] [[20 points]] Fourth paragraph = Students should answer the third question (If Walt Henderson becomes dissatisfied in his work, what is he likely to do about it: exit the organization, voice his dissatisfaction, remain loyal, or neglect his work?) [Students should choose one likely reaction, justify their answer theoretically, and illustrate their answer using excerpts from the case.] [[10 points]] Fifth paragraph = Students should answer the fourth question (What can Walt Henderson’s supervisor do to insure his job satisfaction without endangering everybody else’s job satisfaction?) [Students should suggest one thing that the manager can do to insure Walt Henderson’s satisfaction.] [[15 points]] Sixth paragraph = Students should conclude the attitudinal analysis of the Walt Henderson case. [[3 point]] 1. Case adapted by Alain RONDEAU (1990) from Marabout Service no 129, translated by Evelyn PITRE (1997) and updated by E3P3 (2012).Freeformer. (2005, December 18). Cad Crank [Three-dimensional image created by CAD; uploaded to Wikipedia under the GNU Free Documentation License]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-aided_design Hartmann, T. (2006, March 20). [Untitled engineering two-dimensional drawing (with BOM) of a worm gear, created with Solid Edge; uploaded to Wikipedia under the GNU Free Documentation License]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer- aided_design The material used in this class is proprietary. It is NOT available for distribution or dispersion of any kind without the express written consent of the owner / instructor, Ms. Evelyn Pitre. ©2012 E3P3 Evelyn Pitre Communication Consultant [email protected]