Part 5: Management Practices
A Manager’s Dilemma
Put yourself in Glen’s shoes. Using what you’ve learned in Part 6 about individual behavior,
communication, employee motivation, and leadership, how would you handle this situation?
There are no right answers about how to address Glen’s situation. Traditionally, management
experts would have recommended that Glen move out as managers’ benefit when they
separate their personal lives from the lives of their employees. Today’s view is that managers
Global Sense
What role do you think external factors such as the global economic downturn or a country’s
culture play in levels of employee engagement? Discuss.
As world economies become more closely tied together, employees recognize that what
happens ‘over there’ will soon impact what happens in the U.S. (and vice versa). Also, there are
many employees who work for companies that are closely connected (or owned) by firms
What role does an organization’s motivational programs play in whether an employee is
engaged or not? Discuss.
There is a strong connection between what a company does to motivate employees and their
level of engagement (one being the intended purpose of the other). To create discussion on this
question, it might be useful to discuss the opposite, ‘why do motivational programs fail at
improving employee engagement?’ Students may more closely see the link between a bad
program, and make suggestions for how these programs should work and can be improved.
How might a manager’s leadership style affect an employee’s level of engagement? Discuss.
Leadership is important for energizing employees and providing direction through goals and
of the rewards decrease or the leaders’ ability to distribute rewards.
Look at what we discussed about managerial communication in this part. What could a manager
do in the way he or she communicates to affect an employee’s level of engagement?
Looking at the first part of Chapter 16, students can pick out a variety of ways that
communication between managers can be improved; for example, eliminating the barriers to
You’re a manager of a workplace that has different “generations.” How will you approach
engaging your employees? Do you think Gen Y employees are going to be more difficult to
“engage”? Discuss.
Ask most managers and they will tell you that Generation Y employees are not like other
Continuing Case
Starbucks – Leading
Discussion Questions with Answers; Teaching Suggestions
P5-1. Do the overwhelmingly positive results from the 2005 partner survey surprise you? Why or
why not? Do you think giving employees an opportunity to express their opinions in something
like an attitude survey is beneficial? Why or why not?
As your students discuss their perspectives on these issues, you may want to ask them to share
with the class some of their experiences as a respondent to attitude surveys, either inside or
outside of their employment environment. Ask your students to consider related questions such
as the following:
• Does your supervisor request feedback from you and other employees in your
workplace?
• If so, have your responses ever been given in writing in answer to a survey? Were your
comments made anonymously?
• What effect(s) do you think anonymity has on respondents’ feedback?
• Do you think your supervisor would be responsive to suggestions and opinions made by
employees in your work environment?
• What do you think would be the effect on employees when their suggestions are rarely
acted upon by their manager?
• What factors might influence the weight a manager places on the opinions of
employees?
P5-2. How might the results of the partner survey affect the way a local store manager does his
or her job? How about a district manager? How about the president of global development? Do
you think there are differences in the impact of employee surveys on how managers at different
organizational levels lead? Why or why not?
To help students better understand the possible impact of employee surveys on managers, ask
students to consider the skills needed by managers on different levels of the organization.
(Students may want to review material on management skills on pages 12-13 in Chapter 1
of the text.) You may wish to ask your students the following questions during this discussion:
• At what level(s) might managers need to have particularly strong conceptual skills?
Human and communication skills? Technical skills?
P5-3. As Starbucks continues to expand globally, what factors might affect partner responses
on a partner view survey? What are the implications for managers?
Factors that might affect the responses on the 2010 partner view survey will likely revolve
around the company’s efforts to make operations more efficient. There was some partner
P5-4. Look at the description of the types of people Starbucks seeks. What individual behavior
issues might arise in managing these types of people? (Think in terms of attitudes, personality,
etc.) What work team issues might arise? (Think in terms of what makes teams successful. Hint:
Can a person be self-motivated and passionate and be a good team player?)
In studying the textbook chapters associated with leading and the chapter on Managing Teams,
and in the Part 5-ending comprehensive case material, your students are learning to appreciate
the complex skills and knowledge needed to lead a diverse workforce and to promote effective
group processes.
This question can serve as a stimulus for small group study and discussion of possible
P5–5. Discuss the “ideal” Starbucks employee in terms of the various personality trait theories.
Your students will have varied responses to this question, depending upon the qualities they
P5-6. Describe in your own words the workplace environment Starbucks has tried to create.
What impact might such an environment have on motivating employees?
In fostering a workplace environment to promote the success of the company’s mission and
goals, Starbucks managers seek to lead by encouraging employees to give their best effort to
all aspects of their work. CEO Howard Schultz knows that the workplace environment plays a
P5-7. Using the Job Characteristics Model in Exhibit 17-6, re-design a part-time hourly worker’s
job to be more motivating. Do the same with a store manager’s job.
Students can work on this question in a small group setting either during class or outside of the
classroom. You can initiate this assignment by asking students to recall a time when they
lacked motivation in an employment situation. In what possible ways could their job have been
redesigned to increase their motivation?
P5–8. Does Starbucks “care” too much for its partners? Can a company ever treat its employees
too well? Why or why not?
What opinions do your students have on these issues? This question will likely raise strong
P5–9. Howard Schultz says, “We all want the same thing as people—to be respected and
valued as employees and appreciated as customers.” Does the company respect and value its
partners (employees)? Explain. What do you think this implies for its employee relationships?
After reading the case material presented in the Part 5-ending case as well as previous part-
ending cases on Starbucks, students should be able to give a number of specific examples
illustrating the commitment Starbucks demonstrates to the well-being of the company’s
partners.
You might pose these questions during discussion of Question 5-9:
• How do you think you would be inclined to treat your fellow employees if you were a
Starbucks partner?
• Would the way you were treated by the company have an effect on how you acted
toward your peers at work?
• Consider and respond to this statement: “The best way to ensure that your customers
Focus on Leadership
Brewing Success
Begins With a Dream
In their study of qualities and skills that characterize effective leaders as
highlighted in Chapter 17, “Being an Effective Leader,” your students
might interview leaders in local industry and government to ask them
what qualities they value most in a leader. Suggest to your students that
they might want to ask each interviewee to speak about his/her dreams.
Insight can often be gained about an individual’s character and
leadership potential by discovering what vision he/she holds for life as
well as for the business he/she leads.
In an interview broadcast by CNBC during its program “The Big Idea” on
December 26, 2006, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz made numerous
statements to interviewer Donny Deutsch that illuminate the dreams he
holds for his life and his company. Among these statements were the
following thoughts:
• Schultz gave this advice, “Find what your dream is. Dream bigger
than that. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not good enough, not
P5-10. Former CEO Jim Donald once said, “Spending money to put people first is smart
money.” Do you agree or disagree? Why?
After studying the Part 5-ending comprehensive case material and Chapter 17, “Being an
Effective Leader,” in the text, students should reflect on this question: Do you consider spending
money to put people first to be a cost, or an investment, in doing business? As they think about
P5-11. If you were an executive, would you be concerned about the drastic drop in ranking on
the list of best companies to work for? Why or why not? What actions might you take?
You can access the “Best Companies to Work For” list at the following:
P5–12. Give some examples of the types of communication taking place at Starbucks.
Students will give a variety of answers to this question, because the case material provides
P5–13. Suppose you’re a Starbucks store manager in Birmingham, Alabama. How do you find
out what’s going on in the company? How might you communicate your concerns or issues?
P5-14. Describe Howard Schultz’s leadership style. Would his approach be appropriate in other
types of organizations? Why or why not?
You may want to initiate a class discussion of this question by proposing these questions to
your students:
• Do you believe that great leaders share some of the same characteristics in their style of
leadership?
• If so, what characteristics would you identify as being in held in common by outstanding
leaders?
• When a leader develops a style that is effective in leading employees in a particular
organization, can he/she assume that this style will be effective in a similar position with
another company later in his/her career? Why or why not?
P5-15. Do you agree that leadership succession planning is important? Why or why not?
P5–16. What is Starbucks doing “right” with respect to the leading function? Are they doing
anything “wrong?” Explain.
P5-17. Which of the company’s principles (see Web site) influence the leading function of
management? Explain how the one(s) you chose would affect how Starbucks’ managers deal
with (a) individual behavior issues; (b) communication issues; (c) motivational techniques; and
(d) leadership styles or approaches.