Exercise 1 (job analysis):
Students would draw a primary work flow of the company to have a general idea regarding
the company jobs. They would go on and choose a job from the company to analyze using
O*NET and company sources. The students are informed that this job is going to be the base
for the next exercises.
This exercise consists of two main steps:
(preparing the job description and job specification): After depicting the organization’s workflow
process, each group considers one of its jobs, and prepares the job description and the job
qualification requirements. Group members are expected to visit the O*net website (at
www.onetonline.org/), communicate with people on the job, or use other methods mentioned in
the textbook, hence collect the required information to do the exercise. After fulfilling the exercise
with the participation of each and every member, groups e-mail the text file to the corresponding
class TA.
Note: This job will be the benchmark for all upcoming exercises, and a careless choice may result
in lower team-work quality, hence mitigate the performance outcome and assessment results.
Exercise 2 (job advertisement):
Students are informed that the company needs to recruit some candidates for the job they
analyses in the previous exercise. Then, they are asked to prepare an advertisement for that
specific job. Students are encouraged to be as creative as they can.
In this exercise, each group has to create a job advertisement, designing a poster for the job they
have already analyzed. The students must have already studied the relevant chapter of the textbook
and/or the slides related to a job advertisement.
It is also suggested that they search various internet sources, and obtain the characteristics of an
illustrious advertisement for their group’s job. Seeing a number of successful instances of these
advertisements can be of good help to create a better job advertisement.
Each group is expected to do their best in designing an innovative and effective poster, through
consensus and demonstrating sensitivity to the advertisement’s design, content, etc. They are
permitted to consult with different experts, but the main focus is on the consensus among group
members. The advertisement can be prepared for online announcement, newspapers and
magazines, or interorganizational or extra organizational advertising.
Exercise 3 (training):
Students are asked to design a training program for the selected employees. They need to read
the chapter in their course book and listen to the lecture on the training carefully to be able to
complete this exercise.
In this exercise, group members have to refer to their already prepared job description, and select
some items for training. Then, via consensus and considering the existing training methods, design
a training course for the selected items.
It is expected that groups go beyond the conventional training methods, and try their best to design
a creative and effective training course, likely to result in learning. Each group must describe the
chosen method and the reason for choosing it, suggested trainer or trainers in the course and the
reason for selecting them, the course assessment criteria, and methods for measuring the course
effectiveness.
Exercise 4 (Performance assessment):
The groups would try to design a performance appraisal method. To complete this exercise, the
students have to design a methodology for performance assessment of a family of jobs,
including their already selected job. The reason for involving in a category of jobs is that
organizations usually design performance assessment methods for a family of jobs (and not a
single job). Individuals are expected to design an appropriate and feasible method, considering
the condition under which their selected organization is run. Moreover, the groups must find
the required blank templates for their designed method, by searching the internet, and make
them consistent with their selected organization’s conditions.
Exercise 5 (career path):
Students are asked to design a career path for the specific job they chose within the company.
Exercise 6 (compensation and benefits):
Students are asked to select from the compensation methods and design a compensation and
benefit package for the job they selected.
Appendix 1: assignment activity
All the students are asked to write the answer to the four following questions on an index card:
1. What are two of your personality main strengths?
2. What are two of your personality main weaknesses?
3. When working in a team what are two of the main contributions you can make?
4. When working in a team what are two of the main shortcomings you have?