978-0078112768 Chapter 1 Solution Manual Part 4

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Chapter 01 – Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage

Learning Objective #2: To evaluate influence techniques and communication styles

1. Describe Gina’s initial approach with Jason. What influence tactic does she use initially?

Was it successful? (PPT 2-6).

Initially, Gina relies on the common goals she and Jason share with regard to

Her emotion and elation at the solution is an attempt to appeal to Jason

2. Jason’s behavior demonstrates:

a. caution

2. How does Gina handle Jason’s hesitation to move forward on the deal? How does her

reaction affect Jason? (PPT 2-6)

Gina gets flustered and does not use rational case to argue her point. She begins

to get defensive and uses a “bull-dozer” approach to influencing Jason rather

3. Gina’s over-excited. Jason should:

a. Calm Gina

Jason may want to show Gina that he shares her goal of helping the

employees of the department earn bonuses and keep their jobs. By

Jason ends up requesting a written proposal which agitates Gina further

3. Upon realizing the Jason will not easily sign-off on the deal, Gina attempts a variety of

different influence techniques. Describe them and evaluate how effective and appropriate

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Chapter 01 – Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage

they were given the situation. (PPT 2-7)

Gina tries to threaten Jason by saying she will go over his head and make the

deal happen with Jason’s boss. Depending on the culture of the organization, this

Gina also tries to appeal to Jason based on their friendship and says that she cares

5. How should Jason respond to a threat?

a. Ignore it

The threatening, or retribution, approach to influence is only appropriate under

certain circumstances. For example, when the initiator has complete control, the

issue is extremely important (e.g., safety), and the relationship is relatively

Learning Objective #3: To apply principles of ethical decision making

1. Consider each of the principles to guide ethical conduct (PPT 2-9). Analyze this situation

from both Gina’s and Jason’s perspectives using these principles. Which model did Gina

rely on most heavily? Jason? (PPT 2-8)

Answers will vary. An argument could be made for any of the models. Gina’s

comment about the “greater good” resembles the Utilitarian model. However,

4. What are the risk factors?

a. Losing deal

b. Misleading shareholders

c. Making illegal deal

In terms of consequences for the company’s reputation and potential losses,

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Chapter 01 – Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage

2. Review the “Approaches to Social Responsibility” (PPT 2-11). Which approach is most

closely aligned with Gina’s behavior? Which approach most closely matches Jason’s?

Explain your choices. (PPT 2-10)

Gina’s behavior seems to resemble the Obstructionist approach because she is

Accommodative approach.

6. What should Jason do next?

a. Let Gina make deal

Jason can’t really let Gina make the deal without finding out more information.

If he calls Jack himself, he may make the company look disorganized and may

Jason may want to let Gina cool down and then talk to her again. Perhaps

thinking about alternative courses of action together may solve the problem. If

Exercising Strategy

Zappos Faces Competitive Challenges

Questions

1. What challenges are Zappos facing that may derail its attempt to be the best online

retailer? How can human resource management practices help Zappos meet these

challenges?

Student answers may vary, but could include a discussion of how competition in the

retail industry could inhibit Zappos aspirations. The internet and online retailing have

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Chapter 01 – Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage

2. Do you think that employees at Zappos have high levels of engagement? Why?

Student answers will vary. It is likely that employees are engaged, because of the

3. Which of Zappos ten core values do you believe that human resource practices can

influence the most? The least? Why? For each of the core values identify the HR

practices that are related to it. Explain how each of the HR practice(s) you identified is

related to the core values.

Student answers will vary. Look for evidence that the students are able to connect the

core values with HRM practices. For example, “Deliver WOW through customer

Communication” and” Be Passionate and Determined” can be indirectly influenced by

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Chapter 01 – Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage

Managing People

Yahoo says “Nope” to Working at Home

Questions

1. Do you think that companies should have a policy that allows all employees to work

at home? Why or why not? How would you determine which jobs are best suited for

working at home?

Given the propensity for younger workers to desire more opportunity to work remotely

Most organizational practitioners are proponents of these types of opportunities. It is

2. What role can technology play in allowing employees to work at home? Do you

believe that interaction using technology can replace interpersonal face-to-face

interaction between employees or between employees and their manager?

Students will generally be familiar with technology that will facilitate these types of

3. What role should HR play in helping a company’s leaders decide if a work-at-home policy is

appropriate? What kind of information should HR provide to help in the decision

making?

HR should play an integral and leadership role in the decision concerning working at

Additional Activities

Teaching Suggestions

The use of outside or additional assignments early in the term provides an opportunity for

students to illustrate for themselves how HRM is an important function within the

organization. Following are several additional reading assignments, extra discussion questions

for the “Competing through” boxes in the text, as well as a suggestion for an outside speaker.

Getting students to provide examples of organizations that have effectively used HRM

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practices to help respond to competitive challenges sells them on the importance of the rest of

the course!

Activities

1. This chapter contains references to many current issues in business and HRM. One

assignment that could help students see the relevance of what they will be studying is to

ask them to read The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, or other resources and to bring

in an article that discusses any of the topics covered in the chapter. In groups or in class,

they could share their example and discuss the implications. Alternatively, this could

serve as a written assignment if they were asked to write a summary of the article and to

point out the implications for HRM.

2. Assign students to read The Wall Street Journal article “Bob Stadler Has Lived All the

Business Trends of the Past 50 Years,” July 11, 1996, p. 1. Have students research recent

related articles.

a. Ask them to discuss the changes in employee expectations regarding work.

b. How must employers respond to some of these changes?

c. If your class contains students with work experience, it might be

useful to ask them what types of quality improvement programs they have seen

in their companies and what type of employee reactions occurred when the

programs were implemented.

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Chapter 01 – Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage

3. Outside Speaker: In the first week or two of class, it is frequently useful to invite a CEO

of a small firm or an HRM vice-president of a larger firm to talk with the class about the

role of human resources in the success of the company. Very often, such speakers have

good examples of how the knowledge of HRM has helped the company to deal

effectively with competitive pressures and environmental change.

HRM Failures

Top

Case 1: A Break in the Action

Suppose you’d been on your feet for more than six hours, working on the job without a

According to a state law enacted in 2001, employees who work at least six hours are

But the Wal-Mart employees said it wasn’t a matter of applying for penalty pay. They sued

Wal-Mart’s $172 million penalty represents a huge red 5ag to employers as they strive to

Wage-and-hour statutes vary widely from state to state. Laws in some states are outdated

and have been on the books since the 1930s. Still, employers can improve their situation

by:

Crafting HR policies designed to comply with the laws in each state in which they

have operations and stipulating meal breaks precisely

Regardless of the type of work they do, employees need breaks to renew and refresh

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Chapter 01 – Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage

Question

Suppose you are an employer, and all of your employees have desk jobs. What can you do

to ensure that they take their breaks?

Possible answers

Include a policy regarding workday breaks in the company handbook.

Case: Savaglio v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 149 Cal. App. 4th 588, 602 1st Dist 2007, C-835687.

Source: Patrick J. Kiger, “Give ‘Em a Break…or Get Sued,” Workforce Management,

September 8, 2008, http://www.workforce.com.

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