1-4. Compare the authority of line and staff managers
Authority
Main Responsibility
Specialization
Adaptation to Environment
LINE MANAGERS
Line authority is the type of
authority that reflects
superior-subordinate
relationships characterized
by the power of decision
making.
Line managers are
responsible for directing,
motivating and supervising
employees towards achieving
organizational goals.
Level of specialization is low
in line authority.
Line authority is mostly
suitable for small and
medium scale organizations.
STAFF MANAGERS
Staff authority refers to the
right to advice on improving
the effectiveness for line
employees in performing their
duties.
Main responsibility of line
staff is to provide expert
advice and support to line
staff to allow smooth flow of
operations.
High specialization is seen in
staff authority.
Staff authority can bring
wider benefits for large-scale
organizations.
3-2. What is the difference between a corporate strategy and a competitive
strategy
Meaning
Developed by
Strategic decision
Strategic formulation
Team
CORPORATE STRATEGY
Developed to offer directions
to the business for
accomplishing their long-term
objectives
Top-level management:
CEO, Board of Directions,
Managing Director
Analytical and value-oriented
decisions, aiming to achieve
organizational growth and
profit maximization
Formulated at the
organizational level
Formulates long-term
solutions for the organization
Focus
Making decision regarding
the business that the
company should pursue
Examples
Expansion, downsizing and
stability
COMPETITIVE STRATEGY
Developed at the business
unit level to determine the
ways in which the objectives
of these units can be
achieved.
Middle-level management:
Department, Division or line
managers
Decisions regarding activities
to stay ahead of the market
competition
Formulated for a particular
business unit or division
Formulates relatively shortterm solutions for routine
issues faced in the
organization short-term
Decide upon the business
plan that the company should
adopt to compete successful
in the market
Cost leadership,
differentiation and focus
3-6. Outline how you would implement an employee engagement program

Ask your employees what they think about their jobs.
In order to build a successful engagement program, you first need to understand how your
employees perceive their jobs and what areas, if any, they feel are lacking. Prior to launching
your engagement program, it is critical to gauge employee sentiment. You can do this by having
meetings to discuss the state of the company and ideas for improvement

Give employees opportunities to learn and grow.
Successful engagement programs prove to employees that management not only cares about
the work they do, but they also care about the employees and their careers. Invest the required
resources to enable your workers to attend conferences and seminars

Work hard, play hard.
Fun team-building activities are a cornerstone of any successful engagement program, so plan
them regularly.

Recognize your employees' hard work.
Successful engagement programs place a high emphasis on employee recognition. When your
workers do a fantastic job, by all means let them know you’re paying attention.

Check in with your staff regularly.
From time to time, ask your employees what they think about the program and what they would
change about it if they could.
4-2. What items are typically included in the job description:
Job Title
The Job Title is a brief description (1-4 words) of the job which reflects the content, purpose,
and scope of the job and is consistent with other job titles of similar roles within Wright State
University (University).
Examples include: Archivist, Associate Director Disability Services, Associate Registrar,
Director Student Health Services, Facilities Planner, Grants Accountant, Budget Analyst,
Instructional Designer, Manager Desktop Services, and Manager Custodial Services.
Job Purpose
The Job Purpose provides a high level overview of the role, level and scope of responsibility
consisting of three or four sentences providing a basic understanding, the “bird’s eye view” of
the role. A concise summary of “why the job exists?”
Job Duties and Responsibilities
This section contains a description of the duties and responsibilities assigned to the job;
also referred to as the essential functions. They describe the fundamental nature of the job
which occupies a large proportion of the employee’s time. Some items to consider:

Include explanatory phrases which tell why, how, where or how often the tasks and
duties are performed.

Focus on outcome of tasks.

Reference areas of decision-making, where one will influence or impact.

Identify areas of direct or indirect accountabilities.

Describe the level and type of budgetary or financial responsibilities.

Describe the nature of contact, the people contacted, and the extent to which the
incumbent will interact with others within and outside of the University.

List job duties that reflect the position requirements and ensure they are not based upon
the capabilities of any one individual.
If applicable, also address the type of supervisory responsibility that is expected from this
role. Detail the extent of the job’s authority to hire, discipline, terminate, assign work, train, and
evaluate performance of subordinates. This can be either a separate job duty or noted in other
job duties as appropriate. The following lists various levels of supervision:

Provide direction to other individuals.

Supervises, hires, trains, provides work direction, and problem-solving assistance for
student workers. Also oversees the daily operations of other staff.

Supervises staff, including hiring, scheduling and assigning work, reviewing
performance, and recommends salary increases, promotions, transfers, demotions, or
terminations.

Manages others through subordinate supervisors.
The job duties should be listed in accordance to their importance and/or frequency which they
are performed. They are typically presented in a bulleted or numbered format, consisting of
approximately 4-7 separate duties, with each one assigned a “percent of time” (adding to 100%)
which reflects the estimated time an employee will spend over a year. Duties that require less
than 5 percent of time should be combined with other duties or removed from the job
description.
Required Qualifications
This section lists the required level of job knowledge (such as education, experience,
knowledge, skills, and abilities) required to do the job. This section focuses on the “minimum”
level of qualifications for an individual to be productive and successful in this role.
Education
Identify the educational qualifications that an employee must possess to satisfactorily perform
the job duties and responsibilities. State the educational qualifications in terms of areas of study
and/or type of degree or concentration that would provide the knowledge required for entry into
this position.
Experience
Identify the minimum number of full-time experience required in terms of years and the type of
work experience that an employee needs to be qualified for the job. Should internships,
undergraduate work experience, and graduate assistantships be accepted levels of experience;
this will need to be specifically stated.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
In stating required knowledge, include the level or depth of knowledge required for entry into the
position. The following definitions should be helpful:

Working knowledge: sufficient familiarity with the subject to know basic principles and
terminology and to understand and solve simple problems.

General knowledge: sufficient knowledge of a field to perform most work in normal
situations. The work calls for comprehension of standard situations and includes
knowledge of most of the significant aspects of the subject.

Thorough knowledge: advanced knowledge of the subject matter. The work calls for
sufficient comprehension of the subject area to solve unusual as well as common work
problems, to be able to advise on technical matters, and to serve as a resource on the
subject for others in the organization.

Comprehensive knowledge: requires complete mastery and understanding of the
subject. This term should be used sparingly and only for unusually exacting or
responsible positions required to originate hypotheses, concepts, or approaches.
List specific skills and/or abilities required for incumbent to be successful in this role; including
designation of any required licenses or certifications. Some considerations are: analytical,
budget exposure, communication internal or external, computer, creative thinking, customer
service, decision-making, diversity, logical thinking, multi-tasking, negotiation, problem solving,
project management, supervision, teamwork, etc.
Preferred Qualifications
An expanded listing of the Required Qualifications which can be used to further determine a
person’s ability to be productive and successful in this job. These Preferred Qualifications are
“nice to have” but are not essential to carrying out the day to day functions of the job. If
included, the Preferred Qualifications can focus on any or all of the following: education,
experience, knowledge, skills and abilities.
NOTE: For classified jobs, the University does not list preferred qualifications.
Working Conditions
Identify the working conditions and physical demands that relate directly to the essential job
duties and responsibilities to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Describe the
type, intensity (how much), frequency (how often), and duration (how long) of physical or mental
capabilities required. Consider the following:

Environment, such as office or outdoors.

Exposures encountered, such as hazardous materials, loud noise, or extreme heat/cold.

Essential physical requirements, such as climbing, standing, stooping, or typing.

Physical effort/lifting, such as sedentary - up to 10 pounds; light - up to 20 pounds;
medium - up to 50 pounds; heavy - over 50 pounds.

Indicate if required to work weekends, nights, or be on-call as a regular part of the job.

Travel requirements.

Emergency staff designations.
4-6. Do you think all companies can really do without detailed job descriptions?
A well-thought-out and detailed job description is vital in any companies. It benefits every
parties involved including employees, employers and applicants also. Although some existing
companies operate well without fine job descriptions, there still remains potential risks and
drawbacks in the long run.
- As a Useful Communication Tool
Aside from any legal reasons to have job descriptions, practical reasons weigh strongly in favor
of having them. For example, job descriptions can be useful communication tools to tell
employees exactly what tasks you expect them to perform. Job descriptions may also address
quality or quantity of performance standards, or even work rules that apply to a particular job.
Without such clear communications, employees may not perform to your expectations.
- To Help Identify the Right Employees for a Job
Job descriptions can help identify particular skills or abilities that are necessary for a position or
the environmental pressures that apply to the position. A good job description tells the applicant
what the position may involve or require. After reading the job description, some applicants may
decide that they are not a good fit for the position or are not interested in it. If an applicant
withdraws his or her application, then a prospective employer cannot be held liable for any
“adverse action” under any applicable laws.
- To Help in the Interactive Process
Job descriptions can help with the interactive process that such laws require. A job description
serves as a starting point for what the employer believes to be the essential job duties. The
applicant or employee then must identify which of the listed duties he or she cannot perform.
Once those duties are identified, the employer and individual with a disability can begin an
interactive dialogue about what accommodations may help the individual to perform those
duties without being an undue hardship on the employer or without creating a direct threat to the
individual or others. A job description can also be helpful in soliciting the advice of professionals
such as physicians, chiropractors, counselors or rehabilitation therapists about whether the
individual can actually perform a particular job.
- To Describe Legitimate Minimum Qualifications
If a job requires a particular certification, such as a commercial driver’s license, a particular
degree, or professional designation, list it in a job description. Similarly, if a negative drug test is
required before starting or continuing work, that should be stated in the job description.
Other objective, minimum qualifications can be listed as well, including such basics as the need
for good attendance and the ability to work well with others. Then, if a person seeks a position
and does not possess the required certification or qualifications, you have a legitimate,
nondiscriminatory reason for not placing the person in the job.
- To Help Justify an Employee’s Exempt Status
A job description must first accurately reflect the duties of a particular position. In addition, other
elements of the applicable exemptions must also be present with respect to each individual
worker to qualify as exempt.
But if you claim a person is exempt from minimum wage, timekeeping and overtime
requirements under the “executive” exemption to the Fair Labor Standards Act, the job
description should state that the employee manages a “recognized department or subdivision”
of the company and regularly supervises at least two or more full-time equivalent employees
every week. Other managerial duties should also be referenced in the job description.
5-1. Briefly outline the workforce planning process.
Step 1: Analyze your talent supply
As a manager, you should conduct both an internal and external talent assessment. You might
ask questions such as:

“Does my team consist of long-tenured talent that could retire soon and leave the team
with significant gaps?”

“What are the strengths of my current team and how do they map to our current needs?”


“How available is the talent that I need in the current market?”
“What is the cost of acquiring new talent?”
Step 2: Consider your future needs
Next, complete a review of your future business plans and objectives. Gather information
around what your team needs to accomplish, projected workload changes and staffing levels.
What are the competencies that are critical to achieving your objectives?
Step 3: Identify the gaps
Now, what are your needs? Compare the differences between your supply and demand
assessments. Identify the skill surpluses and deficiencies that are linked to the strategic work
you must accomplish. For example, do you need to fill a specific role—project managers or
developers or researchers—or do you need different skillsets altogether, given the new projects
that will be coming to the group in the next year?
Step 4: Find the solution
Now you can address the gaps in your current and future staffing needs. As a manager, you
should assess opportunities to train and develop your current employees, and consider hiring
externally to complement your current teams’ skills. If you recruit outside the organization,
where would you go, and how many new hires do you need? Once you’ve solved for the gaps,
you’ll need to manage the integration of the new talent into your current team.
5-2. Briefly explain each step in the recruitment and selection process
- Recruitment process:
Step 1: Recruitment Planning
The first phase in the recruitment process is planning. Planning involves reducing job vacancies
and gathering information about the nature of these jobs, outlining two specific objectives: the
number and type of candidate to be contacted.
Step 2: Quantity of Candidates
Most organizations plan to attract a large number of candidates, much larger than they will
actually hire. Scheduling the total time that the recruitment process will take place dictates the
required number of candidates to be called so that all vacancies can be filled with qualified
professionals.
Step 3: Vacancy Disclosure Means
The way the company should disclose vacancies is directly related to the type of professional it
seeks to retain, so it is important to evaluate which people want to be informed about job
availability. The type of professional depends on the tasks and responsibilities involved and the
qualifications and experience expected. These details need to be available in the job description
and job specification.
University Recruitment
University recruitment is a method that requires the company to visit and interact with students
on the university campus, attending trade shows and evaluating the academic performance of
candidates.
Vacancy Ads
Vacancy announcements usually provide a brief summary of the work to be done, which can be
linked via radio, magazines, newspapers, television, and the web.
Public and Private Employment Agencies
Public and private employment agencies provide a large number of vacancies, and they advise,
advise and assist applicants by indicating job vacancies, informing about the labor market and
salary levels.
For companies, agencies filter the candidates that best suit the vacancies offered, pre-selecting
according to the qualifications required by the vacancy.
Employee Referrals
Companies increasingly make room for their employees to make appointments to fill
vacancies. The recommendation of a current employee regarding an open job candidate is
viewed positively by companies. With this, the referral of trusted people, friends and employee
acquaintances has also become a good source of candidates.
Trade Union Aid
Unions can promote a handbook for workers with the basic qualifications required for a given
job.
Traditional Recruitment Agency
Traditional recruitment agencies have a fixed place of business. As a result, an applicant needs
to visit a local branch for a short interview and assessment before having their registration done
at the agency. Recruitment consultants work to match the candidate database, always
analyzing vacancies opened by clients for possible indication. Candidates are listed and those
who obtain satisfactory evaluation proceed to an interview with potential employers.
Research Firms & Executive Resources
Research firms and executive resources are the new hybrid operators in the recruitment world.
These recruiters are able to combine aspects of recruitment research with hiring skills for the
end client. These companies capture the intelligence of the candidate to assist and support the
recruitment efforts of the companies.
Promotion and Transfer
The promotion aims to move positions, where the employee goes from a lower position to a
higher position. Transfer allows an employee to move from one role to another.
Recruitment Site
Recruitment sites have two main characteristics: They work based on curriculum vitae
database. It has a platform that allows company partners to post available job openings. As a
result, candidates have several alternatives from curriculum distributing sources and can
distribute the document on various platforms. Many websites charge companies fees for job
vacancies and charge applicants for access to search and resumes for application.
- Selection process:
Step 1: Preliminary Interview
Evaluations and voting of pre-selected candidates’ curricula are carried out so that unsuitable
candidates are eliminated. This action is usually followed by a preliminary interview with the
purpose of choosing the best ones. The preliminary interview helps to eliminate people who do
not fit.
There are several types of interviews that can be applied in the selection process, among them:
Structured Interview
With prefixed unified questions. A structured interview (also known as a unified interview or an
investigative-administered survey) is a quantitative research method, usually employed in
investigative research. The purpose of this approach is to ensure that each interview is
presented with exactly the same questions in the same order. This ensures that the answers are
reliably aggregated, enabling reliable comparisons between sample subgroups or between
different survey periods.
Unstructured Interview
Performed without structure and planning. In this case the survey questions are not prearranged, allowing spontaneity, making the recruiter need to elaborate the questions,
developing them during the course of the interview. This is considered to be the opposite of a
structured interview that offers a fixed amount of unified questions.
Preliminary Interview
Interviews of this type usually last a few minutes to check the value of the candidate. When
companies are very large and need to filter and discard candidates, this is a good way to
eliminate them.
Behavior Interview
Evaluation is based on the solution and approach of the candidates. Behavioral interviews are
based on the premise that a person’s past performance at work is the best dictator of future
performance.
When a company seeks behavioral interviews they want to know how candidates act and react
under certain circumstances. They also want the candidate to give specific “real life” examples
of how they would behave in question situations.
Stressful Interview
It features a series of harsh and quick questions intended to upset the candidate. In this case,
for a psychological evaluation and to measure the reactions and performance of candidates
under pressure and tension, the evaluators submit them to a series of questions.
Step 2: Applying Selection Tests
A job interview is a type of job test that involves a conversation between the job seeker and the
representative of the organization. Interviews are one of the most popularly used employee
selection devices.
Interview questions can be pre-structured, or completely unstructured, arising in conversation,
or by a fixed list of questions.
Structured interviews are more valid than unstructured, that is, they are more accurate and help
identify the best candidates more easily.
Recruiters are called to evaluate candidates who pass the interview to the tests. Different types
of tests can be administered, depending on job, job and company. Generally, the tests
determine the candidate’s skill, aptitude and personality.
Ability Test
Skill testing helps determine how an individual can perform work-related tasks effectively.
Aptitude Test
The aptitude test helps determine a person’s potential to learn in a particular area.
Personality Test
Personality testing is used to measure an employee’s motivation, predicting their functionality in
a particular work environment.
Interest Test
The interest test can be used to measure an individual’s preferences for certain activities.
Graphology Test
The graphology test is designed to analyze an individual’s handwriting. It may suggest the
degree of energy, inhibitions and spontaneity of the person, facilitating the assessment.
Polygraph Test
Polygraph testing is designed to ensure accuracy of information determined in applications.
Step 3: Job Interview
The job interview is one of the steps of the selection process. The job interview is one of the
steps of the selection process. This step of the process is nothing more than a formal and
detailed conversation needed to assess the acceptability of the candidate. The job interview can
be:

One-to-One: In this type of interview there are only two participants, the interviewer and
the interviewee;

Sequential: involves a series of interviews. In this case, the strength and knowledge
base of each interviewer are used for the individual and punctual evaluation of the
candidate;

Panel Interview: Consists of two or more interviewers. Any panel interview is less
intimate and more formal than one-on-one and needs to be well controlled and
organized and can provide a wealth of information.
Step 4: Candidate Reference
Many employers ask for names, addresses, and contact or reference number for the purpose of
verifying information and perhaps obtaining additional information about an applicant. The
reference serves two purposes:

The first is to acquire information about the candidate from supervisors and employees
who have had prior experience with the candidate;

The second purpose is to assess the likelihood of potential success.
Step 5: Selection Decision
After obtaining information through the previous steps, the selection decision, the most critical of
all steps, must be made. The other steps of the selection process were used to reduce the
number of applicants. The final decision must be made from the group of individuals who have
passed the tests, interviews and benchmarks.
Step 6: Physical Examinations
Certain jobs require unusual strength, strength and tolerance of harsh working conditions. In
these cases the applicant has to pass the physical fitness test done by the company doctor or
approved medical officers. Determining if the applicant is physically fit to perform the job. This
protects employers from possible claims for compensation from employees that are not valid,
such as damage or illness that was already present when they were hired.
Step 7: Job Offer
Finally the selection decision must be made. After obtaining information from the preceding
steps, the decision has to be made in conjunction with the department managers, as they are
responsible for employee performance. The job offer is carried out by means of a letter of
commitment. This letter usually contains a date by which the selected person must submit the
documentation.
Step 8: Employment Contract
Once the job offer has been completed and applicants accept the offer, certain documents must
be submitted by the applicant and the employer. The employment contract is the form of
attestation of hiring, so there is a need to prepare an employment contract.
Step 9: Completing the Selection Process
Contrary to popular perception, the selection process does not end with contract execution.
There is another step, one more difficult, to give feedback to unselected candidates.
6-3. Why is it important to conduct preemployment background investigations?
How would you do so?
To be effective in hiring practices involves delving into the background of applicants to get a
better idea of their abilities and employment performance. However, this has to be measured
with respect for the privacy of each individual candidate as well as staying compliant with
relevant laws. The purpose of the background check is to help evaluate aptitude and skills and
needs to be carried out with this the primary goal.
-Verify Employment Qualifications : At the basic level, the background check is to determine if
information provided by an applicant is true and accurate. It also helps paint a picture about the
applicant beyond what is on paper or discovered in a short interview. Previous employers give
an idea of what kind of work habits an applicant has. References can provide information on
personal characteristics.
- Protecting the Organization: The background check can be considered as a preemptive
measure to ensure the integrity of the organization and the safety of employees. Someone with
a criminal background may not be appropriate for a security officer position. Certain kinds of
information can only be found with a background check.
- Flags Past Infraction: Alongside the criminal history, some background checks will also flag
driving records, credit histories, or other relevant information. If the position entails driving or
handling of money, this may be an important deciding factor.
Steps to Take Before Doing Background Checks:
1. Have a consistent policy.
2. Get legal advice.
3. Give candidates a chance to clear up mistakes or misunderstandings.
4. Use background check services that are FCRA compliant.
5. Do not assume parts of the background check process are routine.
6. Don't ask for information about character while verifying previous employment facts.
How should my employees' background check be conducted?
- Notify the applicant that you will be conducting a background check.
- Find out what information you are allowed to request according to your State laws.
- Choose a registered Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA).
- Make sure the CRA that you choose is FCRA compliant.
- Hire a CRA and request a report.
- Review the background report and make a hiring decision.
6-8. How can employers protect themselves against negligent hiring claims
- Use comprehensive employee background check services on new job candidates. This will
yield invaluable information about the individual’s criminal record (if he or she has one).
- Be diligent. Ban-the-box laws have increased significantly at the state and local level.
- Background screening isn’t something that should be limited strictly for new employees;
employers should also re-screen existing workers to ensure they don’t pose a risk to the
company and its employees.
- Familiarize yourself with the proper way to obtain employee background checks. Understand
there are not just federal laws but also state laws that vary greatly between states.
- Train each employee so they understand background checks must be consistent with each
potential hire. Assuming you’re hiring for the same position, you cannot verify education on one
potential hire and not the other.
7-4. How would you explain the fact that structured interviews, regardless of
content, are generally more valid than unstructured interviews for predicting job
performance?
Any structuring is better than none. If pressed for time, you can still do several things to ask
more consistent and job-relevant questions, without developing a full-blown structured interview.
For example:
7-6 :What items should a letter of offer definitely contain?
Job offer letters should specifically state the job title and location of the position. Identifying the
job title confirms to the candidate what the actual job duties will be. Location is helpful if there
are multiple locations for the company. The letter should also mention the start date of the job.
These may seem obvious items to express in the letter, but they minimize confusion for new
employees not familiar with the company. Effective communication of details sets the tone for
good rapport with the company. In addition, a designated contact person needs to be stated on
the letter.
Many companies are at will employment agencies. This means they have the ability to hire and
fire at will. Some companies in a union environment have an established procedure for the
termination of employees. Job offer letters should include information that the business is an atwill company so that new workers are aware of this from day one.
Letters should also clarify the compensation for the position. This may have been addressed in
the job announcement and at the interview. For purposes of clarification, pay should be included
in writing. This should not be done on basis of annual salary but what it will be per pay period.
Knowledge of their compensation helps new workers when they need to make adjustments in
their lives with their employment such as added cost of a longer commute.
Some form of feedback should be given by the new employee. This can be in the form of an
email confirming receipt of letter and acceptance of employment. Some companies also make it
a policy to have the candidate sign, date and return the letter verifying acceptance of the
employment offer. Businesses need to make this decision based on their need. Any letter
written should be simple, professional and direct.
8-3: What are some typical on-the-job training techniques? What do you think are
some of the main drawbacks of relying on informal on-the-job training for
breaking new employees into their jobs?
1.
i. Coaching or understudy method- an experienced worker or the supervisor train the employee
ii. Job rotation- employee moves from job to job at planned intervals
iii. Special assignments- give lower level execs firsthand experience in working on actual
problems
iv. Peer training
2.
Companies often provide some form of on-the-job training for new employees. This is necessary
to get new hires up to speed on their job duties and working relationships. Formal training
includes clear structure, time frame and objectives. Informal training has a looser set of
guidelines, is more open to interpretation and has some disadvantages.
Missed Elements
One major issue with less formal training is a greater potential for oversight or errors. It's
virtually impossible for a manager to remember every single training step and process required
with a new employee in a given position. This may lead to an employee being put into a
situation with a client or customer that she's completely unprepared for. This can have negative
consequences on business relationships and employee morale.
Inefficiency
Informal training tends to be less efficient as well. Managers may spend time trying to recall
training requirements and techniques. Additionally, without clearly defined steps, the manager
may forget something in explaining a process and have to start over. Employees will likely have
more questions with informal training, because they recognize gaps in the training and want to
feel comfortable in their ability to do their jobs effectively.
No Goals or Evaluation
Informal training inherently means no specific and measurable goals have been outlined. This
limits the effectiveness of the training, since the manager doesn't have a concrete
understanding of intended outcomes, other than generally helping an employee learn the job.
Subsequently, without stated objectives, measuring the results of training is difficult. If your goal
is to develop an employee to a point where she can complete a certain number of sales in a
month, for instance, you could measure the results. Without goals, you'll have difficulty
measuring progress or success.
Employee Perception
Employees may perceive an informal training process as less intentional, inspiring and
dedicated. This may lead to an interpretation that the employee's job has limited value for the
organization. Even if unintended, this message can negatively impact the employee's motivation
to learn and to apply what she's learned in job performance. Additionally, consistently informal
training can contribute to a negative work culture and low overall employee morale.
8-4: Describe the pros and cons of five management development methods.
- Action Learning: management trainees are allowed to work full time analyzing and solving
problems in other departments
- Case Study Method: the manager is presented with a written description of an organizational
problem to diagnose and solve
- Management Games: teams of managers compete by making computerized decisions
regarding realistic but simulated situations
- Help develop problem-solving and leadership skills
- Role-Play: trainees act out parts in a realistic management situation
- Develop leadership and delegating skills
- SHRM Learning System: encourages HR professionals to qualify for certification by taking
exams
11-1. What is the difference between exempt and non-exempt jobs ?
Non-Exempt Employees:
Under federal law, non-exempt employees must be paid minimum wage plus overtime pay if
they work more than 40 hours in a workweek. Overtime must be paid at 1.5 times the regular
pay rate. You will also need to consult the state labor laws in the state where the employee is
working for additional requirements. Employees are considered non-exempt unless they qualify
for an exemption under federal and/or state law.
Exempt Employees:
Exempt employees are not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, and are, therefore, not
entitled by law to overtime pay. Most employees classified as exempt work in upper-level
positions within their organization, such as executive positions. Other occupations are classified
by definition as exempt, such as outside sales. Exempt status is considered advantageous to
employers because it doesn’t limit the hours that an employee can work in a given pay period
for the salary earned. Exempt employees often work more than the standard 40-hour week.
However, it is important to remember that the job must meet the requirements of the exemption;
employers may not override the exemption requirement just because they do not want to pay
overtime.
11- 4 : Define and give an example of how to conduct a job evaluation.
Job evaluation for a position means finding the worth of a job compare to other jobs within an
organization . A job may be more important than other job, because it is complex , and it
requires more responsibility and qualification.
Example : Suppose there are 15 employees in an organization. There jobs are evaluated and
revealed that the job of 6th employee requires higher qualification and responsibility. His job is
more complicated than others. Therefore, he will get higher salary compare to other employees.
12-2. Explain 5 reasons why incentive plans fail.
1. Poor Communication With Employees
Poor communication about the plan demoralizes personnel. Management must communicate
the following directly to each participant in the plan.
• The dollar amount of the bonus targeted for that employee with the understanding that it will
be paid only if both the employee and company meet all their objectives.
• Company objectives that must be achieved before the bonus is paid (e.g., achieving some
threshold of profitability and meeting safety-related goals).
• The objectives the individual must achieve personally in their position.
Most employees base their perspective on how the company is performing by how hard they
personally are working. Management is responsible for communicating company performance
throughout the year so employees’ expectations for bonuses align with reality. Keeping
employees informed about company performance does not mean they need to know how much
the company is making. If a company is budgeted to make $100,000 pretax profit this month but
only makes $75,000, simply tell employees that the company is achieving only 75 percent of its
profit goal.
2. The Plan is Ineffective at Driving the Right Behaviors
If best practices are well defined but employees do not follow them consistently, it is the same
as having no processes at all. The ultimate goal is profitability and providing an adequate return
on investment to shareholders. Unless the company has a market niche or performs negotiated
work that provides extraordinary profitability, the company’s best chance of success comes
when its people:
• work safely;
• work efficiently by using best practices;
• produce quality work;
• satisfy customers;
• motivate subordinates; and
• communicate well with others.
3. The Plan Promotes Divisional vs. Corporate Behavior
Plans that primarily provide bonuses for division vs. company-wide performance can promote
“me first” behavior. The company’s success comes secondary to an individual’s own financial
success. Under these plans, senior managers may go to extremes to promote their division at
the expense of the whole company. Then the firm suffers. An exception is the bonus paid to
foremen who save labor hours on a project. Labor hours are the main variable a foreman can
control and are the best measurement of field productivity.
4. The Incentive Plan Itself Causes Division
There is always some tension between estimating and operations. However, with some
incentive compensation programs, when an estimator leaves something out of the estimate, it
affects the project team’s compensation, adding to the tension. Additionally, if field managers
are moved on and off jobs, issues about how to split bonuses arise because everyone will not
agree on who really contributed to the project’s success.
5. The Strategy for the Company is Not Developed
One of the biggest failures of incentive compensation programs is they often do not take into
account all the key drivers that will make the
13-3. Describe the main retirement benefits
Profit-sharing plans. Profit-sharing plans in which company contributions to the retirement
account are calculated as a percentage of company profits are the most popular form of
retirement benefit.
-Pension plan: A pension plan is a retirement plan that requires an employer to make
contributions to a pool of funds set aside for a worker's future benefit. The pool of funds is
invested on the employee's behalf, and the earnings on the investments generate income to the
worker upon retirement.
- Fixed company contributions: In a defined contribution plan, fixed contributions are paid into an
individual account by employers and employees. The contributions are then invested, for
example in the stock market, and the returns on the investment (which may be positive or
negative) are credited to the individual's account.
- Employee stock ownership: An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is an employee benefit
plan that gives workers ownership interest in the company. ESOPs give the sponsoring
company, the selling shareholder, and participants receive various tax benefits, making them
qualified plans.
- Stock bonus plans: A stock bonus plan is a defined-contribution profit sharing plan, to which
employers contribute company stock. Further, stock bonus plans cannot discriminate toward
highly compensated employees, such as executives. Annual contributions to a stock bonus plan
are limited to 25% of each employee's total compensation
13-4. What are the main provisions of FMLA
The FMLA entitles employees to a total of 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a 12-month period
for any of the following:
- the birth of a child and to care for the child after birth;
- the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care;
- to care for the spouse, child, or parent of the employee who has a serious health condition;
- the employee's own serious health condition;
- a "qualifying military exigency." For a detailed description of the types of activities that
constitute a "qualifying military exigency," see the Department of Labor's FAQ on the military
leave provisions of the FMLA.
Upon return from leave, an employee must be restored to either their same position or an
equivalent position.
14-2. Why is it important in our litigous society to manage electronic monitoring
properly
It is important to manage electronic monitoring for several reasons. First is security, ifyou allow
employees to play on the Internet at work they might knowingly release sensitive information
about employees, the company or about clients. Another reason is if they spending time on the
Internet or other social media sights while on the clock. If you have polices in place that limit or
out right banns this, and you terminate an employee for the violation, you better have
documented it very well. If not you can open yourself up to litigation or a lawsuit, we have seen
case after case where employees win settlements or there jobs back because of a lack of
documentation.
14-3. 10 things your college does to encourage ethical behavior by students
and/or faculty
1.Code of ethics for factuality and students.
2.Plagiarism quizzes to ensure students know what plagiarism is.
3.End of course surveys that students are allowed to not only critique instructors but also raise
concerns with their performance.
4.Channels to report unethical behavior to the school
5.Clearly defined punishments of ethical violations.
6. Communicate expectations for ethical behavior
7. Proactively preventing cheating
8. Pre-Orientation and Orientation of New Students
9. Curricular and Co-Curricular Education in Ethics
10. Enhancing the Fun and Status of Ethics Events