...ASSESSING HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTICES ALIGNMENT: A CASE STUDY HERBERT G. HENEMAN III AND A N T H O N Y T. M I L A N O W S K I Research has established the link between HR practices and organizational performance, suggesting that the HR system has great strategic potential to drive organizational effectiveness. To capitalize on this potential, the organization must design and deliver HR practices that focus on necessary employee performance competencies, creating an HR system with vertical and horizontal alignment around those competencies. Doing this requires that the organization first assess how its HR practices are currently aligned and then develop ideas for improving HR practice that will be alignment enhancing. We call this diagnostic process Human Resource Alignment (HRA) assessment. We describe an HRA assessment process we developed and applied in a large public school district for the key job of teacher. The assessment was based on the district’s formal teacher performance competency model used, and was conducted by a group of human resources and instructional job experts from the district. These experts rated the degree of vertical and horizontal alignment and then developed suggestions for HR practice changes that would improve alignment. After describing the process and results, we present a series of lessons learned and directions for future research. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Keywords: strategic human resource management, human resource alignment assessment ...
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...McDonald’s case study Ans1. The taste of the costumer are changing rapidly because of the variety of burgers the competitors are providing in the market and the promotions of these burgers about by 2 and get 1 free, the impact the would have in the McDonald’s is that they would lose the business if they don’t come up with a better solution. Ans2. The changes in the customers taste and preference are being well reflected by the competitive strategy because of which the customers and going for different tasteful foods and which are affordable McDonald need to breakthrough that will provide new revenues of growth. Ans3. The strength of McDonald’s is the counter attack of the “BIG MAC ATTACK”, and the weakness is that McDonald’s don’t have a segment in the burger. Ans4. Yes, McDonald should develop separate strategy for the heavy user segment of the fast food industry because it is losing business and profits due to their competitors which have a separate segment of burgers. Ans5. To grow sales and profits, Jack Greenberg should create awareness with in store team members of what constitute the true fast food experience. Install a computer –based customer feedback in every restaurant, set up a similar feedback system for drive thru customer. IKEA’s case study Ans1. IKEA's firm specific advantages are clear-cut as the low cost furniture manufacturer and retailer aims to the young and price-conscious consumer. IKEA has been developing innovative modular...
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...to draw out the best from its employees then it should provide best means to satisfy the need and requirement of its customers. Before one can know various ways to facilitate employee satisfaction, it is essential to understand what does it actually mean. Organization is the backbone of management. Without efficient organization no management can perform its function smoothly. An organization operates according to the overall values, or priorities in the nature of how they carry out their activities. These values are the personality, or culture, of the organization. Many writers have attempted to state the nature, characteristics and principles of the organization in their own way. For instance to their sociologist, organization means a study of the interaction of the people, classes or hierarchy of an enterprise, to the physiologist. Organization means an attempt to explain, predict and influence behavioral of individuals in an enterprise. The organization is widely used to connect a group of people and the structure of relationship. Organizations, according to Gary Johns, are social inventions for accomplishing goals through group efforts. Organization is a group of people working together co-operatively under authority towards...
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... * Argue a case against corporations having moral responsibilities. * Present case for corporations having moral responsibilities. * What is the difference between global CSR and domestic CSR? * Case study. Examine a MNC which has had a CSR issue. * Sum up. Introduction This assignment will seek to delve upon profit making institutions, their objective on increasing shareholder value and in the quest to do so, evaluate their sole focus on economic benefits which might erode broader social benefit or harm the society. In this light, this report seeks to evaluate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in theory and actual practice. In the process of evaluating, the assignment would showcase different scenarios / cases where CSR abuses or upholding the same would be examined. From such cases, arguments would be built to show how abusing business activities (Hamilton and Webster, 2012, p. 311) may have a negative impact on stakeholders and societies; and how upholding CSR values is beneficial for the society at large besides being beneficial from business standpoint as well. Globalisation has increased corporate power which is pervasive on a world wide scale and any abuses of this power has reverberating effects across the globe, an example being Lehman Brother’s management and the company’s auditors E&Y (Hamilton and Webster, 2012, p. 311) who played their role in the fall of banking system leading to global financial crisis. In this case, E&Y as an...
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...present how the managements concept was developed from F.Taylor concept to contemporary management concepts. We will point to a few selected aspects of strengths and weaknesses of scientific management. From craftsmanship to mass production. Scientific management.- breakthrough in the industrial production. Until F.Taylor published his book 'Principles of scientific management' in which he laid down fundamental principles of large-scale manufacturing through assembly-line factories, good production was based mostly on the work of crafts. "Production efficiency methodology that breaks every action,job, or task into small and simple segments which can be easily analysed and taught. Introduced in the early 20th century, Taylorism (1) aims to achieve maximum job fragmentation to minimize skill requirements and job learning time, (2) separates execution of work from work-planning (3) separates direct labour from indirect labour (4) replaces rule of thumb productivity estimates with precise measurements, (5) introduces time and motion study for optimum job performance, cost accounting,tool and work station design and (6) makes possible payment-by-result method of wage determination.”1. ( reference). Application in industry scientific management methods a specially assembly-line factories made it possible to mass production of goods. Many products previously inaccessible for a mass audience, such as for example cars have become available. The most famous example of the...
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...Case study for Preparing Corporate Finance Sem 1 Re-sit Examination (*these are the actual case studies used in the exam) Case Study Guidelines In 2005, the Spanish telecom giant, Telefonica made a bid for O2, a British wireless carrier. The bid created headlines for being the second largest ever, all cash offer in telecom history. With consolidation taking place on a major scale in the European telecom sector, Telefonica too looked for a channel for expansion in the booming sector. The case chronicles the expansion strategies of Telefonica and the reasons behind its bid for O2. Case 1: Telefonica snaps up O2 as European consolidation continues In a move that will certainly arouse the interest of other European mobile operators, Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica could be about to gain entry to two of Europe's most important markets, the UK and Germany, with its bid to acquire UK-based mobile operator O2 for GBP17.7 billion ($31.3 billion). Under the terms of the deal, Telefonica is offering 200p ($3.53) per O2 share, which represents a premium of approximately 22% over the closing price of the operator's shares of 164.25p ($2.90) on Friday October 28, 2005. The two companies expect to save E293 million ($351 million) a year by 2008 from economies of scale. More importantly, however, the offer has received the approval from O2's board of directors. Commenting on the deal, Telefonica's chairman, Cesar Alierta, said that the move would boost Telefonica's growth...
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...1. Introduction 2 Types of strategy Corporate strategy Diversification Vertical Integration Takeover Entry into new business segments Disinvestments Role of headquarter Competitive strategy Product strategy Advertising measures Price strategy Make of buy Innovation strategy Building up market entry barriers Usage of economies of scale Building up alliances Competitive advantages 1. Company 2. Competitor 3. Customer Unique Selling Proposition The unique feature of a product, which enables to have a competitive advantage over other providers. The marketing concept of the unique selling proposition facilitates the successful promotion of products. Highlighting of an outstanding product feature supports the company in positioning their products and helps to convince consumers of its benefits. Different ways of value of the headquarter 1. Stand-alone Influence Separate influence on the strategies and the performance of the particular business fields 2. Linkage Influence Creating synergies by taking advantages of existing relations between business fields 3. Central Functions and Services Avoidance of redundancies by providing cost-efficient centralised services 4. Corporate Development Design of the business portfolio through purchase, sale and restructuring of business fields Business design The totality of how a company selects its costumers, defines and differentiates its offerings, defines the tasks it will perform itself and those it will outsource, configures its resources, goes to market,...
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...other men." devised a means of detailing a division of labor in time-and-motion studies and a wage system based on performance. http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/Anthro/Anth101/taylorism_and_fordism.htm Frederick Winslow Taylor is a controversial figure in management history. His innovations in industrial engineering, particularly in time and motion studies, paid off in dramatic improvements in productivity. At the same time, he has been credited with destroying the soul of work, of dehumanizing factories, making men into automatons. What is Taylor's real legacy? I'm not sure that management historians will ever agree. extensions of the four principles of management.[2] 1. The development of a true science 2. The scientific selection of the workman 3. The scientific education and development of the workman 4. Intimate and friendly cooperation between the management and the men. Taylor taught that there was one and only one method of work that maximized efficiency. "And this one best method and best implementation can only be discovered or developed through scientific study and analysis... This involves the gradual substitution of science for 'rule of thumb' throughout the mechanical arts." "Scientific management requires first, a careful investigation of each of the many modifications of the same implement, developed under rule of thumb; and second, after time and motion study has been made...
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...Over one hundred and fifty years ago Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in the United States and granted the slaves their freedom. Although this was a successful event, it did not end the racism against African Americans that still occurs even in today’s educational system. During the twentieth century public schools for white and colored children were segregated but “equal”. In 1954, the Supreme Court held one of the biggest cases known as Brown vs. The Board of Education. This case proved that segregation of children in public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Supreme Court made one of the biggest decisions that became known in the twentieth century to remove the Separate But Equal law that...
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...violence and to use capital punishment as a means for retribution. Then questions come to mind of whether all the violence is necessary and whether it has the end results one claims it to have. In the 1960’s the appellate courts started applying the Bill of Rights to capital cases (G.R) Prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment and the requirements for due process and equal protection of the law was hugely expanded upon and the public demanded for the end of capital punishment. Today society has had the different tune of vengeance and retribution for violent criminals (Grant, 25). Robert Grant tells of different kinds of justices such as restoration and retributive. Restorative justice he explains as the elimination of violence from the community and heals the harm done to the extent possible. As best put by Martin Luther King Jr., returning violence for violence only multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Restorative seeks to eliminate the culture of violence and replace it with a caring culture. Retributive justice is quite the opposite, calling for the criminal to pay for the crime, that will balance the scale of justice. The debates have been all made for and against capital punishment. Where does one draw the line on whether it is a political debate or one of morality? Political debates are ones of using the amendments and the courts. Moral debates are the ones over biblical...
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...CIMA Certificate C4 – Fundamentals of Business Economics (Part A: Micro) CERTIFICATE C4 FUNDAMENTALS OF BUSINESS ECONOMICS (Part A: Micro) 1 Introduction Economics studies the ways in which society decides what to produce, how to produce it, who to produce it for and how to apportion it. The need to make such decisions arises because economic resources are scarce. Making decisions involves the sacrifice of benefits that could have been obtained from using resources in an alternative course of action. This sacrifice is known as the opportunity cost of an activity. Economists assume that people behave rationally at all times and always seek to improve their circumstances. • Producers will seek to maximise their profits. • Consumers will seek to maximise the benefits (their 'utility') from their income. • Governments will seek to maximise the welfare of their populations. The...
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...This paper explores the thoughts and variations with the “Equal Pay Act”. The thoughts and ideas of discrimination against those of different genders and how they relate to the pay scale. Being based on experience and time on the job plays a major part in the role of individuals involved in the working environment. Exploring the ideas and concepts behind this act and how it has transformed over a course of 50 years. Looking at real cases and even scholarly articles from individuals such as Christina Hoff Summers. Keywords: Equal Pay Act, Gender, Male and Female There are many laws that have prohibited individuals from being able to do certain things. One of the main things that we have seen throughout our time is the idea and concept that laws are not always for the people. When it comes to working a job, many people will focus on experience, education and previous job training that an individual has held to determine their pay. However, we have seen other issues that do not even apply to that. The “Equal Pay Act” was created so no one in the working lifestyle would be or could be discriminated against for any reason pertaining to the job and their pay. In a world full of opportunities, no one expects to go into somewhere and not receive the correct pay due discrimination which is illegal and unfair in many aspects of life. The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women in the same workplace be given equal pay for equal work. The jobs need not be identical, but they must be...
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...Concept Paper Submitted to Northcentral University Graduate Faculty of the School of XXXXXXXXXXX In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF XXXXXXXXX by NAME Prescott Valley, Arizona Month Year Table of Contents Concept Paper 1 Introduction 3 Statement of the Problem 4 Purpose of the Study 4 Research Questions 4 .Hypotheses 5 Brief Review of the Literature 5 Research Method 6 Data collection 7 The Sponsor Pay Case Study. 9 Measurements and Results 11 Web 2.0 tools in the SponsorPay 11 The impact of Business Capabilities on Performance 12 Conclusions and Further Research 12 Introduction The social media has gained popularity in the recent past and has been used in many companies in their daily activities, ranging from small start-ups to large and medium enterprises (Bell & Loane 2010). Despite the use of this trend on the social media, little has been known on the specific impact on the companies and the business processes performance (Bell & Loane 2010). The purpose of this paper is to list the benefits of social media and its negative impact on the business performance (Bradbury, 2010). The business impact of the social media on management (Bradbury, 2010) on the knowledge management (Barney, 1991) on governance (Brocke & Rosemann, 2010) and on the strategic competitiveness of the companies (Bughin, 2011). This paper concentrates on exploring the social media’s impact and how the organization...
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...CHAPTER 5 ** Returns to scale – we are looking at what happens to our output if all our inputs are increased by what percentage. All inputs change by the same input. Ex: we increased by 10% as well as aluminum 10% cars by 20% - increased by same percentage and payoff was increased. Decreasing returns of scale – usually from coordination and control. Too large when we increase amount of workers etc. IF we could have kept production at a smaller scale. Increase – common reason increased by specialization able to divide up. Returns of a factor *What happens if we change more than one – all others held constant. Ex: We change steel and hold aluminum constant. Total output – how many are we producing Average – Marginal – (additional product) or incremental I = input not income Most production functions will reach a level that an additional product (marginal) starts to decline. = law of diminishing return. As more of a variable input (something can changed as apposed to something fixed) at some point additional (marginal returns) start to fall. = INCREASE at DECREASING RATE. The payoff starts to get less and less. LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURNS | | * increasing at an increasing rate / increasing at a decreasing rate/ decreasing. | * |*___________ second graph Marginal product – was going up first worker gave me 4 units/ second gave me 6/ increasing at a decreasing rate 0 1 2 ...
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...Case Study Analysis: Tufts-NEMC Ellen Zane had her work cut out for her at Tufts-NEMC. The Tufts University affiliated teaching and research hospital had long been on the decline. It was mired in financial difficulty, was falling behind other teaching and research AMCs, and was not effectively serving its local community. Beginning on the day she accepted her position as CEO, Ellen Zane started on a path of reform. Upon learning that the hospital only had 10 months of cash on hand, she began brainstorming on how to make the hospital financially viable, starting by meeting payroll needs first. She discovered that Tufts-NEMC was being drastically underpaid and began looking for solutions to the problem of reimbursements. One of the more public actions she took was replacing seven members of the senior management team, sending a signal to her staff and hospital community at large that a major overhaul was underway. In an effort to gain approval, valuable feedback, and break down barriers with her staff, Ellen Zane successfully held town hall meetings with hospital staff. She even requested the input of patients on how Tufts-NEMC can improve its care. Retention was important to Ellen, retention of both employees, including physicians, and of patients. She went about restructuring hospital services and identifying areas for improvement. But there were also external problems, such as contract negotiations, network building, and the strengthening of the relationship with Tufts University...
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