978-0078112768 Chapter 8 Solution Manual Part 4

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Chapter 08 – Performance Management

IV. Discussion Questions:

The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 9-1 to

9-10 on the instructor’s side of the text’s Website.

Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of the sources of conflict and the

conflict process.

1. What sources of conflict were present in this scenario? Refer to PPT 9-3 to

construct your answer.

Many sources of conflict come into to play here. Ambiguous rules may have

been a source of conflict because Patrick didn’t seem to think that going over

budget a little was going to be a big problem. He found out that that would be

2. On PPT 9-4, The Conflict Process, overt behaviors are depicted as indicators of

manifest conflict. What overt behaviors did you identify during this scenario?

Lucinda repeatedly rolled her eyes and displayed negative affect towards Patrick.

 1. Patrick’s strategy should be to:

A. Emphasize progress

B. Defend himself

C. Impress superiors

Patrick should emphasize his progress in terms that the rest of the group will

 2. What does Sam Adelson insinuate about Patrick [when he calls him a

hot- shot]?

A. He’s arrogant

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3. How was this [first] meeting?

Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate different conflict management styles.

1. Various conflict management styles are depicted on PPT 9-7. For each of the

participants in the scenario, describe which style(s) they used and cite examples to

support your answer.

Lucinda – Competing – she doesn’t seem to want to listen to Patrick’s position or

Sam – Compromises – he tries to give Patrick more support which is initially rejected

Patrick – attempts Competing in that he rejects any suggestions for changing the

Morgan – Avoidance – he really stays out of any substantive discussion on this

project.

4. How should Patrick respond [when Lucinda says “Frank says you will need

an additional 3 weeks’]?

A. Defame Frank

B. Provide facts

C. Admit fault

Learning Objective #3: To identify ways to ensure functional, rather than dysfunctional,

conflict occurs.

1. Review the Structural Approaches to Conflict Management (PPT 9-9). Several

approaches to minimizing dysfunctional conflict are provided. Identify at least two

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specific actions taken by members of the group to minimize dysfunctional conflict.

Clarify rules and procedures – Patrick suggests a daily email to keep the group

2. Choose two approaches (on PPT 9-9) and provide specific examples of what could

have been done in this scenario to reduce dysfunctional conflict.

The superordinate goals that all members share should have been discussed up front.

Improve communication and understanding – group members should have tried to

5. Confidence is low. Patrick should:

6. How should Patrick respond?

1.1

1.2

1.3 Additional Activities

1.4 Teaching Suggestions

The topic of performance management is an excellent one for additional activities. Several

cases are given that can be used as small group activities or that can be assigned to individual

students or discussed in class. There are also some role-plays, a library assignment, a reading

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assignment, and an outside assignment.

1. Assign the following article: “Team Appraisals-Team Approach” by Norman and

Zawacki, Personnel Journal, September 1991, pp. 101104. Ask students to discuss the

advantages and disadvantages of the team approach to performance management.

2. The following short cases can be used as written assignments, in-class group cases, or

role-plays.

1.5 Case 1: Don Leslie

(Raymond Noe, Michigan State University)

Don Leslie, age 50, closed his eyes, propped his feet up on his desk, and contemplated

his future with Wexler Foods. He could hardly believe that he had just completed his

This morning, Don learned that one of his colleagues, Carol Marshall, was promoted

to marketing vice-president. Don and several other brand managers were candidates

1.6 Question

1. You are Don’s manager. What do you propose to do with Don so that he will

not become a motivation and performance problem?

1.7 Case 2: Martina Jones

(Raymond Noe, Michigan State University)

Martina Jones works for 3M. She is 58 years old, but feels like she might as well be

68. She has had extensive management experience, including overseas experience. A

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Question

1. You are Martina’s manager. What will you do to avoid having Martina become

a motivation and performance problem?

1.8 Case 3: The Problem Employee

(Raymond Noe, Michigan State University)

One of the employees you manage has been working with the company for three

years. The employee’s performance has been average to below average. You have

1.9 Question

1. You are preparing once again to conduct a performance review with this

employee. What will you do during the meeting to try to improve the

employee’s performance?

3. Outside assignment: Have students interview a human resources manager about the

performance-appraisal system that he or she uses. Have the students give a short report

to the class on their findings.

4. Library assignment: Have students write a research paper on MBO or BARS. There

are numerous sources on both subjects.

5. An interesting article to assign to students on the subject of discrimination in

performance appraisals is “Some Neglected Variables in Research on Discrimination

in Appraisals” by Robert L. Dipboye, Academy of Management Review (1985) pp.

116-127.

6. The following are role plays dealing with defining the job expectations, giving

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positive feedback, improving poor performance, and taking disciplinary action. It is

often useful to perform these role-plays in front of the class and get students to make

comments or set up triads where one person is the observer and provides feedback to

the players. Role-plays can also be videotaped and played back for feedback to the

players. (The source for these role-plays is Patrick Wright, Cornell University.)

Encourage students to change the names to be gender correct for the players.

1.10 Defining the Job

Role for James Haas

Craig Teft is a new recruit who just joined your force today. He is coming in to meet

with you before you assign him to his partner during his probationary period.

You need to discuss with him exactly what your expectations are for his performance.

This includes the fact that he will work with an experienced partner for six months,

during which time you expect him to demonstrate his ability as a law enforcement

officer. Also during this time, he will be working for substantially lower pay, which

will be raised as soon as he is off probation. If he has not demonstrated this ability at

the end of the six months, he can either be put on another three-month probation or he

can be terminated immediately.

Role for Craig Teft

You are about to meet with James Haas, the sergeant that you will work under for the

next two years. You just graduated second in your class from the law enforcement

academy. Because you demonstrated far-above-average ability as a police officer, you

simply do not feel that you will need to serve out the full six months of your

probationary period. You feel that the lower pay you receive during this time is not

exactly fair, since you will be paid the same as those who graduated far below you;

thus, you would like to serve only three months on probation, rather than the required

six.

1.11 Giving Positive Feedback

Role for James Haas

You are about to meet with Mary Hill, an officer who has been with your department

for just over a year. Over the weekend, she was at the local shopping mall with her

husband and apprehended a purse-snatcher in the act while she was off duty. The

elderly victim called you this morning to thank the department for having such a fine

officer who would risk her safety when she was not on the job. She mentioned that she

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felt it was great to have female role models for some of the little girls that observed the

arrest. This obviously will give the department a lot of positive public image.

Role for Mary Hill

You are about to meet with James Haas, your sergeant. You think that he’s going to

talk to you about what happened this weekend while you were shopping with your

husband at the mall. You just happened to be walking towards an elderly woman about

the time a juvenile snatched her purse. Before you even knew what happened, you had

taken the juvenile down and were able to apprehend him. You really didn’t think much

of it because it all took place so fast

Improving Poor Performance

Role for James Haas

You are about to meet with John McMahon, an officer who has been on the job for

two years. In the last few months, there have been some reports that he was spending a

large number of on-duty hours in very nonproductive ways. His car is often seen in

front of his home while on duty, and he’s on a first-name basis with the employees of

every fast food joint in the town. In many ways, he has done an outstanding job (in

terms of arrests, tickets, and meticulous paperwork), but you think that he can do a lot

better if he spends a little more time working and a little less time in other somewhat

nonwork activities.

Role for John McMahon

You have been working for the New Homestead Police Department for the last two

years. You are going to meet with James Haas, your sergeant, in just a few minutes.

You assume that he is probably going to commend you on the fine arrest you made last

week. Your arrest record is much better than those of most of the other officers you

work with, not to mention your excellent record for giving tickets. The arrests you

have made and the tickets you have written all stand up in court, and that’s more than

can be said of a lot of your coworkers. Because you’ve performed so well, you feel

entitled to spend a little extra rest time on the job. You have a good rapport with a lot

of the employees at the local fast food restaurants (it’s good public relations), and

occasionally you are able to slip home to see your family. Although you may do this

more than some of the other officers, as long as you are more productive than they are,

you don’t really see the problem with this.

Taking Disciplinary Action

Role for James Haas

You are preparing to meet with Peter Wemberly, an officer who has worked on your

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shift for three years. During this time, he has made quite a few very tough arrests, and

there are few other officers that his peers would like to have back them up in violent

situations. However, yesterday he pulled over a driver who he suspected was driving

under the influence of alcohol. The driver refused a Breathalyzer test and became quite

belligerent. It was not perfectly clear who actually threw the first punch (although

most of the witnesses claim it was the officer). It is quite clear from the witnesses that

he used more force than was apparently necessary to subdue the driver. The driver has

filed a complaint with your department, claiming that he was physically assaulted by

the officer. This is not the first time that a complaint has been filed against this officer,

although the other two were dismissed. Your policy is that if there seems to be enough

evidence to warrant an investigation, you can (but are not required to) suspend the

officer without pay until the investigation is complete. After reviewing the matter, you

think that it is in the best interest of the department to suspend him until the

investigation has ended.

Role for Peter Wemberly

You are about to meet with James Haas regarding a complaint that was filed against

you by some drunk driver. You had pulled the driver over yesterday, and he became

quite belligerent. When he began to take a swing at you, you quickly reacted and

subdued him quite forcefully. While it may have been more than was enough, you just

never really know how much force is necessary with drunk drivers. You have had a

few similar complaints against you in the past, but these have always been dismissed.

You think you get more of these complaints than other officers because they always

seem to send you out on the tough/violent calls. You know that although the policy is

that you can be suspended without pay until the investigation is complete, this is not

required. You don’t think that you will be suspended this time because you feel that

you were justified in your actions.

1. The article, “Six Strategies for Success in Measuring Performance” by R.

Campbell and L. M. Garfinkel, HRMagazine, June 1996, pp. 98-104, makes the point

that no one formula leads to the best performance-management system. Companies

with successful systems look at their business, how work gets done, and the important

capabilities required of employees.

1.12 Question

1. What are the costs and possible disadvantages of the six top-rated approaches to

performance management? Why wouldn’t a company use these approaches?

HRM Failures

Top

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2 Case 8: Using a Performance Review to Punish an Employee

Deborah Lewis had been the bookkeeper for a school district for seven years when, in

Although the superintendent granted permission, he later complained to the school board

The following year, Lewis received a less-than-positive review and was told her

Lewis sued the school district under the FMLA. When the court ruled in favor of the school

The FMLA gives employees certain rights. Employers cannot use a performance review as

Question

Suppose you were the superintendent: What other options were available to you?

Possible answers

When Ms. Lewis requested 6exible work conditions, the superintendent and HR

Either the superintendent or a representative from HR should have

While Ms. Lewis worked a reduced schedule, the superintendent could have

Case: Lewis v. School District #70, 7th Cir., No. 06-4435 (4/17/08).

Source: James E. Hall, Mark T. Kobata and Marty Denis, “Retaliation for Job-Protected

Absences,” Workforce Management, June 23, 2008, http://www.workforce.com.

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