Human Resource Management

Center for Learning and Technology

COURSE SYLLABUS

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

MAN-331-GS

Course Syllabus by Nora Carrol President, CarroLearning.com

Course Syllabus HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

MAN-331-GS ©Thomas Edison State College

April 2010

Syllabus—Course Essentials S-3

Course Essentials

Human Resources Management is a three-credit, upper-level under- graduate course that focuses on human resources as the dynamic founda- tion for organizational competitiveness in a change-driven environment. It examines processes for planning, developing, and managing human resources within the context of a partnership relationship among leaders, managers, and employees.

The course is structured around three fundamental beliefs: (1) human resources represent a critical organizational asset; (2) human resources are the linchpin for organizational change; and (3) human resources are a source of competitive advantage.

Course Objectives Human Resources Management has two overall objectives: (1) to intro- duce concepts and practices essential to successful human resources planning, development, and management and (2) to build your skills in critically applying concepts and practices to realistic situations across a variety of industries and sectors.

By the conclusion of this course, you should be able to:

 Identify the historical development and transition of human resources from a tactical role of order taker to a strategic role of self-initiator and manager.

 Discuss the shift from a confrontational to a cooperative relationship between management and nonmanagement personnel.

 Compare the relationship between human and other organizational resources.

 Prioritize the external effects of globalization, increased competition, and differentiated markets on human resources.

 Describe the internal effects of organizational, structural, and process change on human resources.

 Explain the impact of technology on human processes, skills, and capabilities within organizational environments.

Syllabus—Course Essentials S-4

 Compare emerging factors within human resources, including work force diversity, relationships between labor and management, and conflicts between global and local human resource dynamics.

Required Textbook In addition to the Course Syllabus, you will need the following textbook to do the work of this course. It is available from the textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Managing Human Resources, 10th ed., by Susan E. Jackson, Randall S. Schuler, Steve Werner (Mason, OH: South-Western, 2009).

Course Structure Human Resources Management is a 12-week, three-credit course consisting of ten units grouped into four modules, ten analytic written responses (written assignments), a midterm examination, and a final project in the form of a case analysis. Lesson study assignments include readings from the required textbook, the “In-Site” commentaries and appendixes at the end of the syllabus, and supplemental inquiries.

Periodically, you will complete a written assignment and submit it to your mentor for correction and grading. See the “Course Calendar” for the weekly study assignments and for the dates for submitting your written assignments, scheduling your midterm examination, and submitting your final project.

Required Readings

You will have weekly reading assignments in the Jackson, Schuler and Werner text that will include both chapter narratives and case studies.

You will also be required to read the assigned “In-Sites,” which relate concepts to practice. In-Sites, which are located in the “Assignment Schedule” section of this syllabus, are remarks that highlight or expand on readings, enabling you to assess and compare personal or professional experiences with readings.

Where indicated, you should study certain textbook chapters for answers to specific questions relating to your final project. See the “Final Project: Case Analysis” section of the syllabus for more information.

Study assignments also include reading Appendixes A–C of the syllabus.

Syllabus—Course Essentials S-5

Supplemental Inquiries

Weeks 2, 4, and 6 each include a supplemental inquiry that encourages you to venture beyond the text for additional learning opportunities. For the two inquiries that require reading, you may choose published (printed or electronic) or unpublished (manuscript) sources. For the on- the-job analysis, you will rely on primary (firsthand) research.

The purpose of the supplemental readings is to (1) provide you with more information on specific topics than exists in the textbook and (2) allow you the freedom to select your own reading materials.

Please note that the supplemental inquiries do not require the writing of additional papers. Rather, they are meant to enhance your knowledge.

Written Assignments Human Resources Management has ten (10) written assignments. These assignments are the chief means for demonstrating your analytic, assessment, and expressive abilities. Due dates for each assignment are listed in the “Course Calendar” and in the “Assignment Schedule” (see individual assignment boxes). Read through the assignment questions before you begin each unit.

The purpose of the written assignments is threefold: (1) to provide experience in data gathering, critical analysis, and realistic application of concepts and practice; (2) to present your findings in a written document that is professional in content and appearance; and (3) to reinforce the textbook, supplemental inquiries, and In-Sites.

The guidelines for preparing and submitting written assignments are for you to:

 Conduct primary or secondary research as necessary to respond to the assignment. Primary research may involve interviews that you conduct yourself; secondary research uses published sources of information.

 Write up to four (4) pages per assignment. Your assignments should be professionally presented, using clear syntax, correct grammar, and correct spelling. You must cite all sources of information according to MLA style, APA style, or The Chicago Manual of Style.

 Type all papers. Include a title page with your name, the course title and code, and the assignment number.

 Submit the assignments to the mentor by the due date indicated.

Syllabus—Course Essentials S-6

Midterm Examination You are required to take a midterm examination. Consult the course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks.

The midterm is a closed-book, proctored exam. It is two hours long and covers all material assigned in Weeks 1–5. The exam consists of four (4) fictional but realistic mini-cases, or scenarios, in which you apply conceptual and practical knowledge to answer questions, solve problems, or make recommendations. For the midterm, you are required to use the College's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the "Examinations and Proctors" section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course Web site) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures. You are strongly advised to schedule your exam within the first week of the semester. Online exams are administered through the course Web site.

Final Project: Case Analysis You are required at the end of the semester to hand in a final project in the form of a case analysis, which will be worth 20% of your final grade for the course. For details of this assignment, see the “Final Project: Case Analysis” section in this syllabus. For the scheduling of this case analysis see the “Course Calendar” and “Assignments” sections.

Grading Your final grade in the course will be determined as follows:

Written assignments (10) 50 percent

Midterm examination 30 percent

Final Project 20 percent

Letter grades for assignments and examinations equate to numerical grades as follows:

A = 93–100 C+ = 78–79 A– = 90–92 C = 73–77 B+ = 88–89 C– = 70–72 B = 83–87 D = 60–69 B– = 80–82 F = Below 60

Syllabus—Course Essentials S-7

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of D or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, projects, papers, etc.). You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted.

Strategies for Success To succeed in this course, consider following these steps and study tips:

1. Read carefully the entire “Course Essentials” section of the syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.

2. Take the time to read the entire Student Handbook. The handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to prepare and submit assignments, how to schedule exams and arrange for proctors, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.

3. Each week, consult the “Course Calendar” in the syllabus for an overview of the week’s assignment. Then proceed to the unit-by-unit “Assignment Schedule” for the assignment details, including the In- Site commentary and written assignment. The calendar also indicates the due dates for submitting written assignments and when you should schedule your examination. It is essential that you follow the calendar each week to ensure that you stay on track throughout the course. To fill in the assignment due dates and exam dates, use the table of week-by-week dates in the General Course Instructions.

4. You are encouraged to use the end-of-chapter study aids (“Terms to Remember,” “Discussion Questions,” and “Projects to Extend Your Learning”) in the Jackson, Schuler and Werner text for review.

5. Read carefully the “Final Project: Case Analysis” section of the syllabus to make sure you know what is required.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-8

Course Calendar

Using the table of week-by-week dates in the General Course Instructions, write the dates for the current semester in the second column. In the last column, fill in the actual date for submitting each written assignment and taking examinations. All page references for chapters and case studies are to the Jackson and Schuler text. See the week-by-week “Assignment Schedule” for details about each assignment, including lesson focus and highlighted readings within specific chapters. All written assignments are to be submitted by Sunday of the week they are due.

Week /Unit

Dates Study Assignment Written

Assignment/ Examination

Due Date/ Exam Date

Module One: Human Resources as the Competitive Edge

1 (Unit 1.1)

Read the following:  Chapter 1  In-Site: The Human Resource

Continuum—From Follower to Leader  Chapter 2  Case Study, p. 70 (Levi Strauss)  In-Site: In Change We (Can) Trust

Written Assignment 1

2 (Unit 1.2)

Read the following:  Chapter 3  Chapter 2, pp. 62-70 (Reread)  Syllabus Appendix A  Supplemental Inquiry—From Boss to Peer  In-Site: Building Blocks—Humans and

Organizational Architecture

Written Assignment 2

Module Two: Organizations in Environments of Change

3 (Unit 2.1)

Read the following:  Chapter 4  In-Site: Who's on First?

Written Assignment 3

4 (Unit 2.2)

 Re-read Chapter 3  Chapter 5  Supplemental Inquiry—Job Analysis  In-Site: Guest Commentary (Donna

Engelson)

Written Assignment 4

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-9

Week /Unit

Dates Study Assignment Written

Assignment/ Examination

Due Date/ Exam Date

Module Three: Human Resources as Organizational Strategy

5 (Unit 3.1)

Read the following:  Chapter 7  Case Study, p. 266 (Selecting Patient

Escorts)  In-Site: Starting Here, Starting Now  Chapter 6  Case Study, p. 226 (Downsizing)  In-Site: The Interview

Written Assignment 5

6 (Unit 3.2)

Read the following:  Chapter 8

Pay close attention to the real world examples of "Managing Human Resources at Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company" (p. 269), "Managing Ethics: J.M. Smucker & Co." (p. 273), "Managing With Metrics: IBM Evaluates Its Training" (p. 279), "Managing The Multicultural Workforce: John W. Thompson CEO and Mentor" (p.295), and "Managing Globalization: PricewaterhouseCooper" (p. 307)."

 Chapter 9, p. 314-317  Chapter 10  Syllabus Appendixes B and C  Supplemental Inquiry—Motivation  In-Site: Outgrowing Your Organization  In-Site: The Pushmi-Pullyu  In-Site: Give Me Money, That's What I

Want (Not?)

Written Assignment 6

7

MIDTERM EXAMINATION

(covers materials assigned through Week 5)

8 (Unit 3.3)

Read the following:  Chapter 12  Case Study, p. 471 (Who's Benefiting?)  In-Site: Goodies

Written Assignment 7

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-10

Week /Unit

Dates Study Assignment Written

Assignment/ Examination

Due Date/ Exam Date

9 (Unit 3.4)

Read the following:  Chapter 9  Case Study, p. 352 (Appraisals)  In-Site: One Size Doesn't Fit All  Chapter 11  In-Site: Just Rewards

Written Assignment 8

10 (Unit 3.5)

Read the following:  Chapter 13  Chapter 14

Pay close attention to the paragraphs about UPS on page 507 and Union's Involvement Enhances Competitiveness on page 509."

 In-Site: Squeaky Wheels  In-Site: Have I Got a Deal for You!

Written Assignment 9

Module Four: Human Resources as a Profession

11 (Unit

4)

 Chapter 1, pp. 14–28  End-of-Text Case, pp. 560–575 (Lincoln

Electric)  In-Site: Strategic Thinking, Future Tense

Written Assignment 10

12 FINAL PROJECT DUE

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-11

Assignment Schedule

MODULE ONE: HUMAN RESOURCES AS THE

COMPETITIVE EDGE

Unit 1.1 ________

Focal Points

 Strategic human resources perspectives—from plowhorse to stakeholder: (1) multiple stakeholders, (2) stakeholders as partners, and (3) productivity as the stakeholder-partner common goal.

 External and organizational (internal) challenges (pressures) for human resources management: (1) globalization of markets, (2) technological change, and (3) cultural diversity (differences in country cultures).

Study Assignment

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 1.

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 2.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-12

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner Case Study: "Levi Strauss & Company," pages 70-71 (read only).

In-Site: The Human Resource Continuum—From Follower to Leader

Our first commentary looks at human resources historically to highlight two changing perceptions: the way organizations see markets and the way they use human beings as a resource to serve markets' needs.

The reliance on mechanical, repetitive production triggered by the industrial revolution created a "volume" mindset in almost every kind of enterprise. As an inevitable result, markets were seen in terms of numbers, whether the marketplace was composed of individual or organizational consumers. Human resources were "workers," part of the machinery, with a largely tactical role. They completed assigned tasks to meet organizational goals, also driven by numbers: the amount of goods or services produced. The underlying belief was that production, not sales, was the objective. Initiative was an exclusive right of management.

Production, of course, does not guarantee that any market will want to buy what has been produced. Thus, the production era of enterprise slowly moved into the second stage—the sales era. During this period, it was recognized that an intentional selling effort was critical to achieving those desired "volume" results. Much of the enterprise's resources, including its personnel, were devoted to generating market awareness and interest in purchasing its products or services. This was the first time that advertising was used in any planned, coherent manner. The primary means of selling, however, was salespeople, and each salesperson operated against quotas. The role of human resources was still tactical, yet there were changes away from order taking to order generating. Successful salespeople had some freedom to select their own method- ologies and to communicate and negotiate. Enterprises evolved from having production (output) as the goal to sales (consumption) as the goal. Initiative was still largely in the hands of management.

The problem was that there was no real knowledge of market behaviors. On the contrary, the sales era created the "faceless" concept of mass marketing, in which economies of selling were achieved by treating every market the same. As consumers became more aware of their own needs and wants—and their inherent rights in consumer-based economies— enterprises were forced to become students of the marketplace. Thus, we entered our current era—the market era, in which anyone doing business acknowledges the need to conduct market research, identify and priori- tize market targets, develop appropriate marketing communications, and

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-13

let the market drive the decisions on which products or services to develop.

Not all of this last era developed at once, and human beings as a resource tended to lag behind in the sales era, until dramatic changes in communi- cations and competition forced another rethinking: How do we use our work forces most effectively? Can and should they have a role different from the tactical, in which they respond and follow directions? Can they be the initiators instead of the followers? Can they be partners in the organization? As you may know, the biggest changes in human resources have been concurrent with organizational reinvention, in which enterprises in every sector and industry are restructuring and redefining processes to achieve and maintain competitiveness. The work force is now being seen as an organizational asset and ally, as necessary a part of the short-range and long-range plans as all other physical and capital assets. The inclusion of human resources in planning allows it to assume a strategic partnership rather than a tactical role, and its importance as an asset encourages initiative to move downward from management to diffuse throughout the organization.

In-Site: In Change We (Can) Trust

We read and hear about it constantly—the dangers of change to individuals and organizations. Change is frightening, puts us at risk, undermines our assumptions, and is generally "bad news." Given such onerous warnings, it may appear ridiculous to suggest that "change" is something that we can trust. But we can—and should.

Change, after all, is an element of newness or the unknown in any situation. It represents "dynamics" or the process of movement. As all human beings and systems are inherently dynamic, then change should represent a natural component of life, not an oddity. What really makes change so fearful in the workplace is the tendency to want to remain static and to avoid predicting, quantifying, or managing change well when it does occur.

Why the desire to remain static? Isn't repetition boring? Can't organizations, and the people who work in them, create processes and structures that handle change well?

Organizational processes and structures can indeed be altered. Organizations can integrate into their systems everything from "new venture" departments—to plan and manage new product development— to change agents—people with formal responsibility for identifying and championing behavioral change within specific areas. The human capa- bility to change is there! What makes change really upsetting, however, is

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-14

that it forces us to think rather than act out of habit, and in many organizations moving away from habit is punished rather than rewarded.

Change shifts the core of planning from a reliance on habit to a reliance on thinking. Change-driven thinking, in turn, requires that we look inside and outside our workplaces through reinvestigation, reanalysis, and reassessment. It demands that our human resources be creative rather than redundant, and be allowed to take the risks inherent in creativity. It also pushes us to perceive change in terms of opportunities rather than threats and to recognize that change is ongoing; it doesn't just happen once. If we plan and manage change properly, we can trust it to make us smarter as individuals and organizations. In most cases, the marketplace will thank us for it.

Written Assignment 1

For assignment purpose and guidelines, see "Written Assignments" in the "Course Essentials" section of the syllabus. Case Study About Managing Human Resources Read the case study "Managing Human Resources at Barden Bearings" on pages 110-111 of the textbook and respond to Case Questions 1–3. Submit by Sunday of Week 1 _____ according to the instructions in the Student Handbook section of the Course Manual.

Unit 1.2 ________

Focal Point

 Organizational (internal) challenges for human resources manage- ment: (1) organizational change, (2) key process change, (3) organizational cultural development, and (4) individual work to teamwork.

Study Assignment

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 3.

 Reread Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 2, pages 62-70.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-15

 In this syllabus, study Appendix A, "Organizational Structure/Process."

 Supplemental Inquiry—From Boss to Peer: Find and read two (2) print or electronic articles on the shift in authority and decision making from managers to nonmanagers in any organization or industry.

In-Site: Building Blocks—Humans and Organizational Architecture

Structure is the framework of any organization and, like the frame of a house, holds the organization together. Houses, however, are not dynamic; organizations are. As you may already realize from your readings, organizations are open systems in which structure drives the division of labor. The division of labor, in turn, determines the critical processes of authority, decision making, and communications. An effective structure is one that maintains positive goal-reaching dynamics while being flexible enough to absorb change. If we use the example of "building blocks," a good structure can handle a certain amount of process change—building or rebuilding—without total collapse.

Process is the complement to structure and the means by which goals are achieved within those "frameworks." Organizational processes are typically sequential (chronological) or concurrent (occurring at the same time) or a combination of both.

You may be asking, Where does technology fit in, as every organization today is employing technology? Despite the way we use the word technology in everyday conversation, technology is not separate from other processes. In management theory and practice, technology is actually the combination of human and mechanical processes that together result in output.

Where does the human resource fit into this picture? By definition, the human resource is the work force, and it may exist inside the organization as employees, outside of it as contractors, or both. If we accept that human resources are shifting from a tactical to a strategic partnership role, can they be considered part process, part structure, or both?

Of greatest importance is determining whether your workplace's struc- ture and processes—its architecture—are compatible with organizational goals and whether they use human resources most effectively in estab- lishing and meeting those goals.

Written Assignment 2

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-16

For assignment purpose and guidelines, see "Written Assignments" in the "Course Essentials" section of the syllabus. External and Organizational Challenges on Your Workplace Write an on-the-job analysis and assessment of your organization and the impact of any one of the following external or organizational challenges (pressures):

1. globalization of markets 2. technological change 3. differences in country cultures 4. organizational change 5. key process change 6. organizational cultural development (company culture) 7. individual work to teamwork.

Submit by Sunday of Week 2 _____ according to the instructions in the Student Handbook section of the Course Manual.

MODULE TWO: ORGANIZATIONS IN ENVIRONMENTS OF CHANGE

Unit 2.1 ________

Focal Point

 Change as an organizational driver: (1) effects of external and internal change and (2) impact of change on employee fairness.

Study Assignment

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 4.

In-Site: Who's on First?

"Who's my boss today?" "Initiative of the month." "This week's fad."

You're undoubtedly familiar with at least one of the comments above, as they are common in organizations undergoing change. At best they remind us of the old Abbott and Costello routine "Who's on First?" At worst they are far more serious than a comical skit. Upheaval in processes has the greatest potential to cause long-term damage in an organization,

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-17

creating insecurity in the marketplace as it generates fear among the work force.

Of all the process changes occurring today, diffusion of authority may have the greatest impact. "Authority" is the ability to compel action on the part of others, and traditionally authority has rested with management. A combination of structural downsizing (removing layers of management) and process change (group work) has resulted in nonmanagement employees taking on authority roles for the first time. They have done so through the twin processes of delegation (a formal transfer of responsibility) and empowerment (the transfer of decision making authority to nonmanagers). Both processes are key to achieving real partnership with employees.

Such change can be daunting, especially for longtime employees who are accustomed to responding to authority rather than sharing in it or initiating authority through self-management. When added to the strangeness of working differently—such as in groups rather than individually—the effects can range from disruption to dysfunction. It can similarly frighten newer employees, who do not have the requisite skills or knowledge or who are reluctant to take the risk that decision making implies.

Written Assignment 3

For assignment purpose and guidelines, see "Written Assignments" in the "Course Essentials" section of the syllabus. Workplace Privacy Laws and Policies Prepare a paper that discusses workplace privacy; limit yourself to policies related to workplace communications—by e-mail, Internet, and telephone. Using the privacy policies of your own workplace as a starting point, explain why each policy was put in place—if you know why—and discuss whether employees generally agree or disagree with the policy.

Then conduct research to learn about the latest workplace privacy policies and related legislation. Include the results of your research in your paper and explain whether, given the policies/legislation you found, employees are adequately protected or whether employers have too much freedom to monitor communications. Support your opinions with facts.

Submit by Sunday of Week 3 _____ according to the instructions in the Student Handbook section of the Course Manual.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-18

Unit 2.2 ________

Focal Point

 A continuation of change as an organizational driver: (1) analyzing jobs and tasks in times of strategic organizational change and (2) achieving strategic "fit" between goals and work to be done.

Study Assignment

 Reread Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 3.

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 5.

 Supplemental Inquiry—Job Analysis: Consider one (1) case of task- oriented job analysis or competency modeling (worker-oriented job analysis) within your workplace. Analyze the impact it has had on an existing job or set of jobs.

In-Site: Guest Commentary

This week we are joined by Donna Engelson, a partner in The Leadership Edge, a Virginia-based company specializing in organizational and employee needs analysis, skill and job matching, and strategic job design.

Donna Engelson: Have you ever hired a person who did not meet your expectations? Whether you have hired only a few people or thousands, you no doubt must answer that question with a yes—and perhaps with frustration as well. All of us have selected individuals, some of whom turned out to be "stars" and some of whom turned out to be marginal performers at best— and yet we selected them with equal expectations for success. How—and why—does this happen, and what can we do to hire more "stars" and fewer "duds"?

There are three places to solve people challenges: first, at the front door, during the selection process; second, through training and development; and last, at the back door, if efforts to make the individual "fit" are not successful. Obviously, selection and job fit make the most positive impact on the individual, the organization, and the bottom line.

Traditional selection processes have focused on the past (résumé, experience, and references) and the present (interview). These remain good but incomplete sources of information. What is missing is the future—does this person have the ability to learn? Does he or she want this job, as it may grow and change? Does this candidate have the right

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-19

personality to do the job? All too often we hire people on the basis of competency, but then find they do not "fit."

So how can we determine if a candidate is a "fit"? A combination of technology and psychometric assessment makes it possible for us to enhance significantly our chances of selecting the right person for the right job. After developing a benchmark for any position, we can determine an individual's match for the job and explore this further with interviewing.

Having the technical skills to do a job is not enough. When the individual has "job fit," the result is a challenged and fully engaged employee who is more productive and therefore more profitable to the organization. J. W. Marriott said it well: "Put the right person in the right job, train and motivate them, give them an opportunity for advancement, and your company will grow and prosper."

Written Assignment 4

For assignment purpose and guidelines, see "Written Assignments" in the "Course Essentials" section of the syllabus. Case Study About Change Read the case study "Aligning HR with the Business at SBC" on pages 32-33 of the textbook and respond to Case Questions 1–3. Submit by Sunday of Week 4 _____according to the instructions in the Student Handbook section of the Course Manual.

MODULE THREE: HUMAN RESOURCES AS ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY

Unit 3.1 ________

Focal Points

 Conceptualizing and planning the work force.

 Recruiting and retaining the work force.

Study Assignment

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 7.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-20

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner Case Study: "Selecting Patient Escorts," page 266 (read only).

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 6.

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner Case Study: "Downsizing: Anathema to Corporate Loyalty?" page 226 (read only).

In-Site: Starting Here, Starting Now

How does one plan and implement a human resources strategy so that interviewing, selection, and recruitment are as efficient as possible?

The most sensible (and sane) approach is to target your efforts, as you would target a specific market for an equally specific promotion. Effective planning does not occur in a vacuum, nor is it driven solely by grand designs. Rather, it is a continuum of problem identification and problem solution.

Starting here and now, where are your human resource needs the greatest and most critical in the short term? At what level (management, nonmanagement), in what department, division, or function do they exist? What is the scope (internal reach) of your needs? Are the needs most apparent in your organizational structure (gaps in the framework), process (gaps in the methods or means), or both?

Once you answer these questions, you can ask: What individual or group capabilities and capacities do we need within our designated problem areas? What kind of attitudes, behaviors, expectations, and experiences should our best candidates have? What resources will be required to support our efforts? What should management's role be?

As you undoubtedly suspect, the here and now is the starting point, not the end. There really is no end, as planning is an ongoing process, not a one-shot deal. Taking the long view demands the ability to identify likely causes of external and internal change, and integrate them into the planning process.

In-Site: The Interview

Interviews frequently represent the initial contact between an employer and potential employee. Despite their strategic importance to any organization, interviews are frequently conducted "by the seat of one's pants," without the planning necessary to maximize chances for effectiveness. Why?

One surprising reason is that interviewing is misunderstood as a unique kind of communication. Consider the roots of the word: inter 'between'

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-21

and view 'vision'. From a practical standpoint, interview should have as its foundation a shared purpose among the communicants. Typically, the interview also will have restrictions such as time frame, the overall context in which the interview is conducted, and potential for distractions that may occur. Regrettably, in practice many interviews consist of one person talking and the other listening, which omits the key dynamic of "between."

Beyond purpose, the most important element in interviewing is the communication strategy itself. Is it appropriate to have "closed" ques- tions, which generate yes or no answers, or open-ended ones, in which the interviewee is free to think out loud, express opinions, and make suggestions? Who is actually leading the interview, and will the roles of "asker" and "respondent" shift?

As is true with all oral and written communication, interviews require planning to meet specific goals. It is essential for the interviewer to determine the interview's goal and to rank the goals in importance if there are more than one. Audience analysis may also be necessary, even if the audience consists of one individual. What might that individual's prior interview experiences be, and what might his or her attitudes and expectations be as a result?

The rapidity of change within organizations suggests that interviews may be conducted more than once with the same individuals, but for different purposes, creating an interview history or continuum. In most workplaces, interviewing supports initial hiring, but also assists in performance appraisal, disciplinary action, and positive rewards such as promotions. It is critical to determine up front what the reasons are for the interview and what results are expected.

Written Assignment 5

For assignment purpose and guidelines, see "Written Assignments" in the "Course Essentials" section of the syllabus. Human Resource Planning Conduct primary or secondary research, and write a summative report on human resource planning in your industry or sector. (Note: A summative report "adds up" and restates what you have read; it does not provide critical analysis.) Submit by Sunday of Week 5 _____ according to the instructions in the Student Handbook section of the Course Manual.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-22

Unit 3.2 ________

Focal Points

 Methods of enhancing the performance of the work force through socialization, training, and development.

 Ways motivation of the work force is accomplished: should it be through compelling action or encouraging participation?

 Compensating the work force: (1) monetary strategies, (2) competitive pressures, (3) equity, and (4) communicating the plan.

Study Assignment

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 8.

Pay close attention to the real world examples of "Managing Human Resources at Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company" (p. 269), "Managing Ethics: J.M. Smucker & Co." (p. 273), "Managing With Metrics: IBM Evaluates Its Training" (p. 279), "Managing The Multicultural Workforce: John W. Thompson CEO and Mentor" (p.295), and "Managing Globalization: PricewaterhouseCooper" (p. 307)."

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 9, pages 314-317.

 Read J Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 10.

 In this syllabus, study Appendix B, "Human Capabilities/Capacities."

 In this syllabus, study Appendix C, "Theories of Motivation."

 Read the “Case Analysis Strategies for Success” section (immediately below) for the final project that you must submit at the end of the semester.

 Review the questions in the “Final Project: Case Analysis” section of this syllabus that relate to chapters 8, 9 and 10 in your textbook.

 Supplemental Inquiry—Motivation: Find and read two (2) printed or electronic articles that discuss either motivational theories or motivational practices in a specific workplace, industry, or sector. Determine whether the examples reflect strategies that (a) compel employees to act or (b) encourage them to participate.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-23

Case Analysis Strategies for Success At the end of the semester you are required to submit a final project in the 

form of a case analysis which will be based on the information about 

Southwest Airlines contained in your textbook (pp. 544‐559).   

Before you complete your analysis you will need to master the course 

material presented in this and all subsequent weeks and units.  This does 

NOT mean however, that you should leave your project to the end of the 

semester; you need to start preparing now.   Review the following 

strategies for preparing your case analysis of Southwest Airlines and 

work on it incrementally as you complete your reading and written 

assignments for the rest of the semester. 

It is important to do the following: 

 Study thoroughly the Southwest Airlines case description in the  text, including the two appendices (pp. 544‐559). 

 Review the chapters of the text listed as references for particular  questions. 

 Identify how concepts and practices in the referred chapters link  to the story of Southwest Airlines. 

 Search for connections, examples and research mentioned in the  text as likely explanations for what has occurred at Southwest 

Airlines. 

In-Site: Outgrowing Your Organization

If you are determined to develop your workplace capabilities over the long term—and seek employer-sponsored learning to do so—you may have been met with overt or hidden dismay. "Oh, sure, we'll provide the training, and then she or he will leave!" Embedded in that dismay are hints about the differences between training and development, as well as a fear that really good employees will outgrow their respective organizations.

Let's look at training and development first. The simplest form of training, and the one in which employers make the greatest commitment, is "skills training." This is the workplace learning whose goals are to fill technical or procedural skill gaps, or at best to prepare for new skill needs in the short term. Skills training is comparatively easy to define and

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-24

quantify, since it is based on current and present needs and can be conceptualized as the organization is, right now.

Organizational training represents the next scope and asks trainees to look beyond their own skills, tasks, and responsibilities to the workplace as a whole. Such training is growing in demand as organizations recognize the need for cross-functional capabilities as well as a systemic mindset. Because the emphasis remains within the specific organization, management can be convinced of its short- and longer-term value.

The next two phases of workplace learning, however, represent significantly greater risk to the sponsor. Industry-focused development exposes trainees to what's going on in their industry or sector, thus making them potentially more valuable to the competition as well as the current employer. Professional development has the broadest and deepest scope of all, requiring participants to examine their own capabilities, capacities, and interests, and opening the possibility that they may switch industries, sectors, or both.

What if you introduced one of these phases of learning in your work- place? Which would sell, and at what point would management—or potential trainees—balk? The likelihood of "outgrowing the organization" increases with the "reach" of the learning experiences. If you manage human resources at any level, or are in a position to recommend formalized workplace learning, it is important to recognize these substantive differences. Effective advocacy for workplace learning may demand that you introduce training and development in a way that maximizes learning opportunities while minimizing the chances for managerial resistance.

In-Site: The Pushmi-Pullyu

Remember the Pushmi-Pullyu, the fictional two-headed animal in the film Dr. Dolittle? The creature was forever being pulled in two directions at once. As you examine motivation and its role in workplace performance, you may feel that motivational ideas can be pulling or pushing people in contradictory directions. It's wise to recognize common elements across motivation's seemingly disparate theories.

By definition, motivation is a "trigger or reason to act." Action can be on the part of an individual, group, or organization or a combination. In each case, several factors likely operate in concert to create the motivational mindset.

In the workplace a chief motivational factor is "prior experience." Largely positive experiences may indeed create happier people than negative experiences do, but another element comes into play—the environment of

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-25

each specific workplace. Work environments may change dramatically from one job to another, and the groundwork for happiness can be undermined or eroded.

Whether positive or negative, prior experience and environment together create "expectations" or the assumption that similar situations will foster similar results. Such expectations can cause trouble. Consider Individual X who is in a senior creative job in an advertising agency. As an industry, advertising agencies are known for the relative behavioral freedoms they grant their employees in exchange for tolerating stressful client-driven pressures and wildly inconsistent workloads. Suppose that same individual accepts a position of parallel responsibility in a corporate marketing department. The responsibilities may be equivalent, but the work environment has shifted from "freewheeling agency" to "uptight corporation." How much of that individual's motivational impetus just disappeared? Can he or she switch attitudinal gears, and, if so, under what conditions?

As you ponder motivational variables, please consider these alternatives:

 Motivation to become engaged in action, as opposed to avoiding action

 Motivation to succeed through visibility, as opposed to invisibility

 Motivation to succeed through capture of power/authority, as opposed to diffusion of power/authority

 Motivation to succeed on one's own, as opposed to succeeding through the efforts of others.

In-Site: Give Me Money, That's What I Want (Not?)

Compensation is inevitably linked to motivation. If you recall our earlier examination of the eras of enterprise, then certainly the sales era represented "motivation by compensation" at its maximum. Successful salespeople made their money via quota-driven commissions, and it was presumed that money was what they wanted. Period.

The punctuation is changing. It would be absurd to think that money never matters to any work force, but compensation as a strategy is moving well beyond money alone. First, "money" can be a larger concept than cash. Profit-sharing, employer contributions to tax-sheltered investments, employer payment of health insurance premiums, and the like all represent either cash-in-kind or expense-offloading, thereby wedding compensation to other benefits. Second, regardless of the compensation strategy selected, it must make sense with the risks and

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-26

responsibilities undertaken by employees, or it will not be seen as a reward.

Consider the following real example. In the mid-1980s a leading snack food company reorganized its sales force away from geographical territories to type-of-reseller. The change was rational and reflected differences in need between type of reseller and location of reseller. The new territories distinguished between traditional supermarkets, deep discount/hypermarkets, convenience stores, and mom-and-pop independents. Salespeople were asked to change their selling strategy at the same time, moving away from order taking and quota fulfillment to a more consultative role, assisting customers with displays and other promotional tactics.

This double change required considerable risk taking. Employees lost many of their best-known customers, with whom they had established relations, and had to replace them using newly learned strategies and tactics. To complicate matters, the consultative approach to selling was expected to take longer, resulting in a greater time gap between initial sales call and closed sale.

The company's response to the increased risk was to change the sales force's compensation—the wrong way. Almost all commissions were eliminated, leaving an uncompetitive base salary, insufficient to support many people, and tearing out a well-ingrained motivational component that might have encouraged risk taking. The result was demotivational, triggering massive turnover and poor morale among survivors for at least two years after the sales reorganization took place.

Written Assignment 6

For assignment purpose and guidelines, see "Written Assignments" in the "Course Essentials" section of the syllabus. Total Compensation System After having studied chapter 10, explain how an organization's total compensation system can help the organization be effective or prevent it from being effective. Submit by Sunday of Week 6 _____ according to the instructions in the Student Handbook section of the Course Manual.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-27

Unit 3.3 ________

Focal Points

 A continuation of the focus on compensating the work force: benefits and services.

 Performance management activities: (1) setting criteria, (2) establishing formats and practices, (3) rating and measuring, and (4) providing feedback.

Study Assignment

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 12.

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner Case Study: "Who's Benefiting?" page 471 (read only).

In-Site: Goodies

Historically, employee benefits have been perceived by employers as an "extra," a pot sweetener whose underlying strategy may be defensive—to offset employee turnover or undercut demands for unionization—or offensive—to beat out the competition. At the same time, employees and prospects alike have often seen them from a "shopper's" vantage point, comparing them to judge one employer against another.

As we've moved from an assembly line to an entrepreneurial mindset, however, many of the underlying reasons and assumptions about creating benefits have shifted as employee characteristics and expecta- tions have changed. Moreover, the notion of "services" to employees is a newer and less comfortable concept than that of "benefits," since it upends traditional perceptions of who is working for whom. Examples of services include on-site day care for employees' children, assistance with health care for elderly parents dependent on employees, and access to educational or travel opportunities. These services broaden the notion of "benefits" from those targeting individuals to those supporting individ- uals as parts of families and communities.

Despite best intentions, however, benefits and services can be ill- conceived and poorly implemented. What is their status in your work- place? Given overall organizational goals and the workplace's competi- tive position in its industry or sector, do the benefits and services make sense? If you had the chance to design them anew, what would your choices be?

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-28

Written Assignment 7

For assignment purpose and guidelines, see "Written Assignments" in the "Course Essentials" section of the syllabus. Benefits In this assignment, look at the number and type of benefits currently being offered by employers. Limit your research to benefits that are provided voluntarily by employers, such as health care, retirement savings plans, child care facilities, and coverage for domestic partners. You may include the benefits that your own workplace offers.

In your paper, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of providing a broad range of benefits and services versus adopting a minimalist approach. Discuss which approach you favor and explain why. Be sure to support your ideas with research.

Submit by Sunday of Week 8 _____ according to the instructions in the Student Handbook section of the Course Manual.

Unit 3.4 ________

Focal Point

 A continuation on performance management activities: studying the use of performance-based compensation to enhance motivation.

Study Assignment

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 9.

 Review the question in the “Final Project: Case Analysis” section of this syllabus that relates to chapter 9 in your textbook.

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner Case Study: "360-Degree Appraisals," page 352 (read only).

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 11.

 Review the question in the “Final Project: Case Analysis” section of this syllabus that relates to chapter 11 in your textbook.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-29

In-Site: One Size Doesn't Fit All

Changes in work force characteristics and responsibilities suggest that individuals need to be evaluated on a wide variety of work-related activities, not all of which are easily observed or quantified. Such skills as "the ability to think strategically and solve problems creatively" are more difficult to pinpoint than visible action. To complicate matters, evaluation is now extending into group work, meaning that the dynamics of interpersonal relations at the group level must be analyzed and assessed. New ways of doing business—through strategic partnerships, alliances, and joint ventures—may even cause evaluators to look beyond their own organizations to determine the effectiveness of collaborative efforts.

Just as products and services are no longer developed for a mass market of mirror-image consumers, so performance evaluation must become more specific and goal-directed to be effective. Cookie-cutter approaches are unlikely to provide meaningful information or encourage employees to correct performance problems. As you investigate your workplace's methods of performance evaluation, please consider:

 What is being evaluated—the content of activities, the style or method in which they are conducted, or both?

 Who is doing the evaluating, and is he or she in a position to be objective?

 Are the targets of evaluation in sync with current organizational goals, or at odds with them?

 Have performance goals been clarified and agreed on beforehand?

 Is the scope of evaluation broad enough to analyze and assess all parties to the work?

 Are the judgments made for the short term, long term, or both?

 Is there opportunity for timely feedback to evaluation, as well as a reasonable time frame for corrective action?

In-Site: Just Rewards

"I love working in my underwear!"

I heard this exclamation some time ago at a trade association function, during a conversation about home-based businesses. The business owner was extolling the virtues of a home office, defending himself against a colleague who was making jokes about working at home. The implication was that there were rewards to performance in an atypical setting.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-30

Today, rewards aren't limited to change of venue. Employees of large, well-established enterprises with multiple sites may have the opportunity to telecommute—submitting work electronically—or engage in flexible schedules.

Having some percentage of the work force away is nothing new, as sales- people have frequently spent much of their time on the road. What is novel is the variety and volume of personnel who now have the option of working out of the office. What might this mean for the workplace as a whole? Would it create perceived preferential treatment, thus creating a new conflict? Or might it relieve pressure on resources, thus resolving an old conflict?

Consider the case of Sun Microsystems. This reseller of high-end com- puter workstations has grown from an entrepreneurial start-up to a series of five companies underneath a holding corporation, with more than 30,000 employees in fifty countries. In the past few years, it has changed from fairly traditional processes for directing, communicating with, and motivating personnel to a widely scattered, virtual environment in which salespeople rarely see sales managers, product developers announce updates via internal, access-protected Web sites, and many of the old parameters for judging work—being "on the job physically"—are gone. Instead, people have been awarded a much greater degree of trust, allowing them more freedom to plan and implement work at the same time that external pressures are increasing.

Sun's changes, which really represent delegation and empowerment, can be the foundation for a partnership between managers and those whom they manage.

Written Assignment 8

For assignment purpose and guidelines, see "Written Assignments" in the "Course Essentials" section of the syllabus. Human Performance Select one (1) performance management problem you have experienced as a manager or nonmanager, and write a fictional proposal to solve it, using and defending one (1) performance management strategy.

Submit by Sunday of Week 9 _____ according to the instructions in the Student Handbook section of the Course Manual.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-31

Unit 3.5 ________

Focal Point

 Protecting the work force with a discussion of workplace safety and health.

 Negotiating with the work force: bringing the partnership concept home.

Study Assignment

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 13.

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 14.

Pay close attention to the paragraphs about UPS on page 507 and Union's Involvement Enhances Competitiveness on page 509."

 Review the question in the “Final Project: Case Analysis” section of this syllabus that relates to chapter 14 in your textbook.

In-Site: Squeaky Wheels

"The squeaky wheel gets the grease." This old axiom suggests that overt complainers get the most notice and the greatest number of "fixes." It also implies that there is conflict somewhere in the workplace, or the wheels would not need to squeak to get attention. Efforts are increasing to avoid conflict before it becomes overt, since conflict represents one of the largest health-related concerns in the contemporary workplace.

There are several phases of conflict in organizations. The earliest, and most difficult to detect, is the preliminary stage, during which problems may be generated but hide under cover. They may be isolated as well, involving very few people or organizational components. "Trouble bubbling under the surface" is a common description, and spotting the early signs may take individuals experienced in observing covert, nonverbal behaviors.

Like the flu, unresolved early problems can spread across the organiza- tion and rise toward the surface, taking conflicts to the next stage. This is the point at which negative behaviors can be seen, but their full impact

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-32

may still be unclear. A frequent reaction is that "it's just temporary, ignore it, don't cater to it, and it will go away."

It rarely does. By the third stage, unresolved problems can burst into overt conflict that is far broader and deeper than the initial problems ever suggested. Waiting until this stage to effect repairs is extremely risky and costly to the organization as a whole. Therefore, it's wise to remember what typically creates conflicts in the workplace, so that the wheels are caught at first squeak. Key causes of organizational conflict include:

 disparity between policies and practices

 short-term versus long-term goals

 allocation of resources

 organizational uniformity versus marketplace or internal diversity

 home-office practices versus outpost practices

 responsibility versus authority

 risk taking versus risk aversion

What do these mean in real terms? "Policy versus practice" conflicts occur when there is a significant difference between what the organization states formally and what it actually does. "Short-term versus long-term goals" can clash if and when the short-term needs for resources, and pressures for profit, actually impede longer-term growth and its respec- tive demands. "Allocation of resources" commonly creates conflict among individuals and groups because access to resources represents power and preference within any system. "Organizational uniformity versus external or internal diversity" is an emerging source of conflict. As organizations decentralize and diffuse their operations, and markets and the work force both become increasingly diverse, the forces of uniformity needed to maintain consistency can butt heads with the elements of diversity needed to establish flexibility.

The causes we've just listed tend to be organization wide. However, two other conflict triggers particularly affect individuals and groups. "Responsibility versus authority" is an old one and refers to the collision that occurs when an individual or group is held responsible for a process without having the authority to make decisions about that same process. A traditional example is being held accountable for profit and loss of a specific department or division without having authority over the budget.

A much newer entrant is "risk taking versus risk aversion." Because we are in an unstable, change-driven competitive environment, risk taking

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-33

has become a necessity. Many members of the work force, however, did not gain their experience in such an environment, and may be averse to taking risks. If organizational goals demand risk taking and the work force doesn't comply, or the work force perceives a lack of rewards for taking risks, then there can be something even worse than conflict—a vacuum of inaction. Applying grease to keep the organizational wheels conflict-resistant is most difficult when we deal with embedded attitudes and expectations.

In-Site: Have I Got a Deal for You!

Labor-management relations represent an evolutionary process, moving from one of confrontation to one of collaboration. Or is that revolutionary, representing drastic rather than incremental change?

Let's consider the catch phrase, "Have I got a deal for you!" Traditionally, a deal from management to labor had the goal of ending current or impending conflict. The statement implied that labor would be provided something irresistible and difficult to turn down. Such a tactic sounds easy, but it wasn't then and isn't now. Even in a more cooperative environment, what if the wrong deal is offered and is met with a yawn? How does one identify and qualify what the work force will find irresistible in any given situation?

Think about your current or recent workplace. Remembering your readings and this week's previous In-Site (about conflict), what kind of deals would appeal? Are they tangible or intangible, driven by benefits or not? Are they grounded in rewards or security? Current or future compensation? What if the basis for offering an attractive deal suddenly disappears?

Remember that much of the "future fulfillment" inherent in long-term deals is gone. As organizations flatten, it is becoming increasingly difficult to promise anyone a career ladder up to the executive suite—and climbing the ladder is an ingrained image of success. As your organization engages in formal or informal negotiation with employees, unionized or not, a preliminary understanding of "what constitutes a deal" is absolutely essential.

Written Assignment 9

For assignment purpose and guidelines, see "Written Assignments" in the "Course Essentials" section of the syllabus. Staying Healthy Conduct primary or secondary research, and write a summative

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-34

report on strategies that your industry or sector uses to protect the safety and health of its work force. Submit by Sunday of Week 10 _____ according to the instructions in the Student Handbook section of the Course Manual.

MODULE FOUR: HUMAN RESOURCES AS A PROFESSION

Unit 4 ________

Focal Point

 The human resources staff: roles and responsibilities, competencies, code of ethics, certifications, job specifications, and earnings.

Study Assignment

 Reread Jackson, Schuler and Werner, chapter 1, pages 14–28.

 Read Jackson, Schuler and Werner End-of-Text Case: "The Lincoln Electric Company," pages 560-575 (read only).

In-Site: Strategic Thinking, Future Tense

When change and risk are constant, it is difficult enough to think ahead in the short term—the next couple of calendar or fiscal years. What about the long-term future? How do we plan for that, and where do human resources fit in? Is there a middle ground between expecting complete stability at one end (unrealistic) and no definable or measurable future at the other (unmanageable)?

For human resources professionals, focusing on "performance" can find that middle ground. Remember that any kind of planning instinctively depends on prior experience, and ongoing change makes such experience unreliable. Strategic thinking, however, is targeted toward the big picture, focusing on the broad competitive and market positions the organization wants to have. Once strategies are defined, tactical thinking follows, at which point "actions" become imperative. Actions demand

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-35

maximum use of every resource, including human. At the point that strategy flows into tactics, we can and should distinguish between the experiences, capabilities, and skills we can rely on, and those we can't. "Can't" represents performance gaps that new resources must fill, if the strategic goals are to be met.

If performance gap identification and closure seem abstract as the means to thinking in the future tense, then try using the following questionnaire to examine your own workplace's situation. Consider turning the questionnaire into a worksheet.

1. How is human performance currently defined?

2. Does that definition reflect organizational strategies and goals? If yes, how? If no, why not?

3. What short-term performance gaps can you describe as knowledge- based? As skill-based?

4. What is likely to drive change in your organization in the next 3–5 years? In the next decade?

5. How might the current performance gaps interact with the 3–5 year change? With the decade-long change?

6. What do you perceive as long-term performance gaps?

7. How can you relate long-term organizational strategies and goals to long-term performance gap closure, so that they complement each other?

Written Assignment 10

For assignment purpose and guidelines, see "Written Assignments" in the "Course Essentials" section of the syllabus. HR Competencies In this assignment, explain whether you agree with the list of five major competencies given on page 20 of the Jackson, Schuler and Werner text. In addition, include whether you agree with the weighting assigned each competency in terms of its impact on business performance.

If you agree, explain why. If you do not agree, state why you do not and give the competencies you feel are needed for human resources staff to be effective. Give reasons for your choices. Be sure to support your ideas with research.

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-36

Submit by Sunday of Week 11 _____

Final Project: Case Analysis  

You are required at the end of the semester to submit a case analysis that 

focuses on Southwest Airlines. This case analysis will be a vehicle 

through which you can demonstrate your ability to apply human 

resources management concepts in determining the role of such concepts 

to an actual organization’s practices.   

You will build your case analysis by answering a series of questions listed 

below.  These questions are associated with specific chapters in your 

textbook and in order to answer them properly you will need to 

demonstrate your mastery of the material covered in those chapters.  

The starting point for your case analysis is your textbook, which contains 

information about Southwest Airlines on pages 544‐559.  The first thing 

you should do is to read this information and become familiar with it. 

As you progress through the course you should review the questions 

below and begin to formulate your answers as you read the associated 

chapters in your textbook.   

The questions below are designed for you to demonstrate an 

understanding of key human resources management concepts as they 

pertain to Southwest Airlines. For each of your responses to these 

questions, be sure to link specifics in the Southwest Airlines case to 

human resources management concepts from the text. 

There is no specific length that your case analysis should be, but you 

should aim to answer each question as thoroughly as possible.   For 

information on how your work will be judged see the “Assessment 

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-37

Guidelines for Southwest Airlines Case Analysis”, below.  Use the criteria 

listed there as a guide when working on your case analysis. 

Your case analysis should contain the following: 

 Title page with your name, date, course code, and name of your  mentor. 

 Introduction to your case analysis.   The main body of your analysis (i.e. your answers to the questions 

below). 

 Recommendations (your answer to the last question below).  Southwest Airlines Case Analysis Questions  

Your answers to the following questions will form the main body of your 

case analysis.  Formulate your answers after reading the textbook 

chapters listed.  You should identify how the concepts and practices in 

the relevant chapters link to the story of Southwest Airlines.  Search for 

connections, examples and research mentioned in the textbook as likely 

explanations for what has occurred at Southwest Airlines. 

Answer after studying textbook chapter 8 

How were training and development of strategic importance to 

Southwest Airlines?  What actions taken by Southwest Airlines support 

your response?   

Answer after studying textbook chapter 9 

Using Expectancy Theory, explain how the management practices at 

Southwest Airlines help motivate the company’s employees to high levels 

of performance.   

Answer after studying textbook chapters 10 and 11 

What particular aspects of how Southwest Airlines compensates and 

rewards its employees likely are connected to the company’s low 

turnover rate? Be specific.  

Southwest Airlines has been described as having a unique culture.  What 

specific aspects of its culture make it unique?  How have these aspects 

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-38

played a significant part in Southwest Airlines’ effectiveness as an 

organization?  

Answer after studying textbook chapter 14 

In the Southwest Airlines Integrative Case’s Appendix SA.3 on p. 558, Joe 

Harris, Vice President of Labor and Employee Relations, describes the 

cooperative relationship Southwest Airlines has had with labor unions. 

He says that Southwest’s greatest challenge ahead is keeping costs under 

control.   What other future challenges might there be for Southwest Air 

related to labor relations?  Explain with supporting material from 

Chapter 14 or any other sources you choose to use. Please cite any outside 

references you use.   

Answer after completing the questions above 

What recommendations would you make to Southwest Airlines to help 

deal with future labor union challenges? 

Assessment Guidelines for Southwest Airlines Case Analysis

Your case analysis will be judged according to the following criteria.  

Keep these points in mind when putting together your case analysis 

and use them as a guide for your work. 

Excellent to Exemplary   

Your analysis is thorough and reflects critical thinking.  It exceeds the 

parameters of the questions by showing subtle insights into significant 

points in the case.  Your analysis strongly links course concepts to events 

and situations in the case.  Thoughts are expressed clearly and logically, 

with few if any, errors in grammar and writing mechanics.  Responses to 

the case questions venture beyond the case description to identify 

relevant current information on Southwest Airlines that pertain to human 

resources management.  References for these additional points are 

reputable sources and properly cited. 

Syllabus—Assignment Schedule S-39

Satisfactory to Very Good

Your analysis is thorough.  It answers the questions sufficiently and 

demonstrates an acceptable understanding of related course concepts.   

Thoughts are expressed clearly and logically, demonstrating a college‐

level awareness of grammar and writing mechanics. Analytical skills are 

applied. If any outside references are used they are from reputable 

sources, suitably cited. 

  Marginally Acceptable to Satisfactory Your analysis is at times incomplete, or fails to demonstrate an 

understanding of how course concepts relate to information in the case. It 

shows a lack of analytical skills. Thoughts throughout are expressed 

awkwardly and illogically.  Your work contains errors in grammar and 

writing mechanics.  There are no attempts to include current information 

on Southwest Airlines.    Minimal Pass to Marginally Acceptable

Your analysis is incomplete and fails to demonstrate an understanding of 

course concepts.  It fails to demonstrate analytical skills.  Thoughts 

throughout are expressed awkwardly and illogically.  Errors in grammar 

and writing mechanics distract the reader.           

Fail

Your analysis is incomplete. Responses to questions are brief and without 

an understanding of the case and related course concepts. The responses 

lack the use of analytical skills. Thoughts are expressed awkwardly and 

illogically.  Many errors in grammar and writing mechanics distract the 

reader. Insufficient links between the case and the course reflect a lack of 

effort.                .

Syllabus—Appendix A S-40

Appendix A

Organizational Structure/Process

Structure: Process: framework for action means for action

Structure and process drive:

 division of labor

 authority, decision making

 communications

Syllabus—Appendix B S-41

Appendix B

Human Capabilities/Capacities

Capability: here-and-now skills and knowledge

Capacity: the willingness to learn new things

Motivation: the incentive or reason to act

Capability+ Capacity+ Positive Motivation

=Maximum Performance

Syllabus—Appendix C S-42

Appendix C

Theories of Motivation

Parallels among Popular Theories of Motivation

There are many parallels among the popular theories of Maslow (original hierarchical theory and revised dual-level theory), Alderfer, Herzberg, and McGregor. The needs at the top of the model all lead toward approach behaviors, while those on the bottom propel people toward avoidance behaviors if not adequately obtained. Those in the middle (Maslow's belonging and Alderfer's relatedness) are potentially unstable and can direct behavior in either direction, depending on the circumstance.

Maslow (hierarchy)

Maslow (revised)

Alderfer Herzberg McGregor

Self- actualization

Growth- aspiration

Growth needs

Motivators (satisfiers)

Theory Y

Esteem

Belonging Relatedness

needs

Safety

Physical needs

Deficiency- reduction

Existence needs

Hygiene factors (dissatisfiers)

Theory X

Source: Curtis W. Cook, Phillip L. Hunsaker, and Robert E. Coffey, Management and Organizational Behavior, 2d ed. (Boston: Irwin/McGraw Hill, 1997), exhibit 6- 4, p. 194. Reproduced with permission of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Approach Behaviors

Avoidance Behaviors