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CHAPTER 4
Workforce Focus
ANSWERS TO INSTRUCTOR RESERVE MATERIALS
Instructor Reserve materials are older Quality in Practice features and Cases from previous editions that may be used
by the instructor to give the students additional experiences. These are available in the Instructor materials in a
separate folder.
Case – Nordam Europe, Ltd.
1. The approaches used by Nordam Europe seem to support high-performance work, in a
number of ways, as expressed in ideas presented in this chapter. The HR theory suggests
that employers need to:
• Communicate the importance of each employee’s contribution to total quality.
• Stress quality-related synergies available through teamwork.
• Empower employees to “make a difference.”
• Reinforce individual and team commitment to quality with a wide range of rewards
and reinforcements.
These goals are realized by leading companies through the following “best” practices:
1. They design, organize, and manage work and jobs to promote cooperation, initiative,
empowerment, innovation, and the culture of the organization, capitalizing on the diverse
ideas and thinking of employees.
2. They promote teamwork and skill sharing across work units and locations.
9. They monitor the extent and effectiveness of human resource practices and measure
employee satisfaction as a means of continuous improvement.
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2. Education, training, and development at Nordam address the organizational needs based
on the company’s mission of maintaining jet engine nacelles and thrust reversers. By
focusing on individual’s background and job experience, rather than race, gender,
nationality, disability, religion or age, the best qualified workers are hired, trained,
promoted, and retained. The hiring process reflects this in such steps as:
a. Applicant’s résumés are received.
b. Screening of applicants is performed by a departmental manager and a personnel
officer to develop a short list of those they would like to interview.
c. The short-listed applicants are invited for an interview with the departmental manager
and personnel officer. The latter is a trained, experienced interviewer who provides
3. Leadership and motivation advantages may accrue from using older workers, especially
where quality, reliability, and attention to detail are required. Skills in using tools have
often been developed over years or decades. In addition, attitudes of older workers are
4. Problems of age discrimination are somewhat different in the United Kingdom than in the
U.S. The workforce is older in the U.K. than in the U.S., on average. Support services for
older people are probably more widely available in the U.K. than in the U.S. The equal
opportunity laws are somewhat different, but awareness of the need to avoid
discrimination against workers, regardless of age is probably recognized somewhat
equally in both countries. It is important because workforces are aging, worldwide. Social
responsibility involves (see Chapter 5):
Practicing good citizenship refers to leadership and support—within the limits of an
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