Chapter 04 – The Analysis and Design of Work
IV. Discussion Questions:
The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 12-1 to
12-9 on the instructor’s side of the text’s Website.
Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of the challenges of telecommuting.
1. What advantages and disadvantages to telecommuting is Angela experiencing? See PPT
12-3.
Angela enjoys not having to commute and likes to be closer and more available for her
family. The voicemail from her friend indicates that she may be losing the personal
relationships she enjoyed at work because of decreased interaction. She clearly feels left
out of certain decisions and is concerned her career may be impeded.
1. How should Ralph respond [when Angela says “since I’ve been working
from home, I’m out of sight”]?
A. Compassionately
B. Clarify issues
C. Debate point
2. What advantages and disadvantages to managing a telecommuter is Ralph experiencing?
See PPT 12-5.
His intention was to improve moral and job satisfaction of Angela by cutting down her
2. What is Ralph’s strategy?
A. Emphasize strengths
B. Hide biases
C. Change topic
3. How was this [initial] meeting?
A. Successful
B. A failure
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Chapter 04 – The Analysis and Design of Work
C. A good start
Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate managerial actions related to
telecommuting.
1. What should Angela have done to prepare herself for telework? Refer to PPT 12-7.
Angela needed to really assess whether her work style was suited for telecommuting.
While there are obvious advantages (shorter commute time), there are some less
4. Angela is dejected. Ralph should focus on:
A. Her value
B. Her poor performance
C. His mistakes
2. What should Ralph have done to prevent this problem from occurring? Refer to PPT
12-9.
Completing the Checklist provided in the slide would be effective.
5. What should Ralph do [when Angela says she want to resign]?
A. Accept resignation
B. Try new approach
C. End meeting
6. What’s Ralph’s next step?
A. Find replacement
B. Communication often
C. Reassign work load
4-2
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McGraw-Hill Education.
Chapter 04 – The Analysis and Design of Work
1.1 Exercising Strategy:
Serving Up Speed, Flexibility and Innovation
1.2
1.3 Questions
1. In what way is small size a source of competitive advantage in this industry?
Small size in this industry, especially when servicing web based companies who have
a need for speedy reaction time, is a big advantage due to its contribution to flexibility
and responsiveness to customer demands. Large corporate giants like HP and IBM are
so big that their reaction time is slowed down.
2. In what way is close proximity to customers a source of competitive advantage in this
industry?
Similar to the answer for question 1, speed of response to the demands of the customer
3. In what way is the use of small cross-functional teams a source of competitive
advantage in this industry?
By using smaller cross-functional teams, companies like SeaMicro have made
Managing People:
Stretching the Job Description
Questions
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Chapter 04 – The Analysis and Design of Work
1. In what way does stretching the job description like that described here both
strengthen and weaken job incumbents?
Student responses should vary but will be indicative of their thoughts on how job incumbents
2. In what way does stretching the job description like that described here both
strengthen and weaken the competitive position of companies that engage in this
practice?
Responses here will vary but should reflect thought on the issues such as increases in
3. In what way does stretching the job description like this negatively affect society and
the larger economy?
Issues here may include the fact that traditionally, increases in consumer demand meant
HR In Small Business:
Inclusivity Defines BraunAbility’s Products and Its Jobs
Questions
1. In what ways is work at BraunAbility motivating? What other features of motivating
work might BraunAbility be able to offer its employees?
Answers here should reflect the idea that workers have the opportunity to express their true
2. What place would efficient job design have in a company like BraunAbility? How
could BraunAbility improve job efficiency in a way that is consistent with the
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Chapter 04 – The Analysis and Design of Work
company’s emphasis on inclusiveness and flexibility?
The nature of the work done at BrausAbility (creating products for people living with
3. Imagine that you work with the HR director at BraunAbility, and she has asked you to
suggest some ways to reinforce employees’ sense that their jobs have an important
positive impact on others. What would you suggest?
Answers should involve the opportunity for workers to see first-hand the impact their work
Additional Activities
1.4 In-Class Activity 1
Many students are or have been employed. Ask students to choose a company for which they
have worked and analyze the corporate culture at that company. Answers may include some of
the following:
Did a sense of teamwork and cooperation prevail?
Was employee morale high?
Who was primarily responsible for the attitudes that dominated in the workplace?
Was the company successful?
Was the company a good one to work for? Why? Why not?
What could have been done differently to improve the culture?
1.5 In-Class Activity 2
Invite students to discuss their experiences traveling by air. Have any of them flown
Southwest Airlines? If yes, does the airline measure up to everything that is being said about
it?
Do they have a favorite airline? Why?
What, in their opinion, are the most important reasons for choosing an airline?
HRM Failures
Top
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Chapter 04 – The Analysis and Design of Work
2 Case 4: When Job Analysis Goes Awry
Yaire Lopez, a bakery truck driver, delivered cakes, bread, bagels, and muffins on her
After Lopez provided this medical information to her employer, an HR staff person
analyzed the job requirements of three or four open positions to see if one of them would
Through a series of misunderstandings that followed, Lopez believed her employer had
After being barred from working as a driver and being denied an accommodation to a less
strenuous position, Lopez sued her employer. The court ruled that Lopez was in fact able
Under the law, when an employee’s pregnancy requires a job with less strenuous or less
Question
If you were the employer, how would you handle such a request from a pregnant
employee?
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Chapter 04 – The Analysis and Design of Work
Possible answers
Implement a carefully written process for handling such requests.
Case: Yaire Lopez v Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc., A119263, A119720, 2009 Cal. App. 1st
Dist, Div 4, Lexis 3171.
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McGraw-Hill Education.