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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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Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
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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Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
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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Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
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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Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
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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Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
Chapter 01 - Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage
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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Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
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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Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
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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Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
