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MGMT 364 B
Workforce Planning and Employment
Early Fall Session 15-51
August 17 to October 10, 2015
Course Description
This course explores how organizations plan for changes in their workforce, create recruitment
strategies, and develop selection systems to identify the best talent for their businesses. Topics
include measurement of staffing effectiveness, job/competency analysis, testing strategies, and
interviewing methods.
Prerequisite: MGMT 361
Proctored Exams: None
Textbooks
Staffing Organizations: Edition 8th, by Herbert G. Heneman III, Timothy A. Judge and John D.
Kammeyer-Mueller. Irwin/McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 2014. ISBN-978-0-07-786241-1
Textbooks for the course may be ordered from MBS Direct. You can order
 online at http://direct.mbsbooks.com/columbia.htm (be sure to select Online Education
rather than your home campus before selecting your class)
 by phone at 800-325-3252
For additional information about the bookstore, visit http://www.mbsbooks.com.
Course Overview
The objectives of this course prepare the student to accurately analyze organizational goals, needs
and staffing policies. We will evaluate staffing strategies by carefully examining decisions about
acquisition, deployment and retention of the organization’s workforce. In determining the quality
and quantity of employees, careful attention will be given to the knowledge, skills, abilities and other
characteristics (KSAOs) demanded of specific work performances and delivery outcomes. Paramount
in staffing activities is the ultimate achievement of the organization’s effectiveness. To this end, the
class will develop a case that is designed to correspond with the types of information found in work
environments. Further it will become evident that often there are no clear-cut decisions regarding
correct solutions; dealing with ambiguity is often the situation in reality. Thus, students will learn to
formulate, organize, plan and assemble policies and procedures to challenging situations requiring a
thorough understanding of options available for building an organization from the ground up.
Forecasting availabilities, replacement planning and succession planning are integral parts of the
processes discussed. Once requirements are determined, the work of identifying sources for
potential employees will be examined. Both internal and external resources will be considered in
light of specific job requirements as defined in clear job descriptions. Students will learn the
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employee value proposition (EVP) along with ways to establish employee rewards and methods to
determine employee preferences. Legal issues concerning staffing also play a critical role. Managing
the element of diversity in the organization is explored with an eye toward production,
organizational culture and legal requirements. Students analyze resources to validate not only the
effectiveness but also the legalities regarding recruitment and hiring processes. Exercises will be
used to develop ability in applying staffing metrics, cognitive ability tests, assessment scores, validity
and weighting used for prediction schemes. Multiple assessment methods are incorporated in the
staffing processes. Interviewing methods and techniques are evaluated in detail, including structured
and behavioral interviews. Students experience and document the interview process, along with
developing their own resume based on critical elements that are relevant to current day business
practices.
Other common staffing responsibilities such as initial orientation, training and development of
skilled employees are discussed and applied. Students develop programs to address these issues
along with retention of desirable employees. Through the weekly discussions and the development of
a case study, principles of planning, staffing and employment are synthesized.
Technology Requirements
Participation in this course will require the basic technology for all online classes at Columbia
College:
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A computer with reliable Internet access,
a web browser,
Acrobat Reader,
Microsoft Office or another word processor such as Open Office.
You can find more details about standard technical requirements for our courses on our site.
Course Objectives
The main goal of this course is for students to understand how organizations decide to increase or
decrease their employment levels, learn job analysis processes, and recruitment and selection
systems.
Measurable Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
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Grading
Develop legally compliant job specifications and job descriptions using different job analysis
methods.
Define various recruitment methods such as college recruiting, networking, electronic
recruiting, outsourcing, etc.
Describe testing, simulation, and interviewing techniques used by organizations to select
employees.
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Grading Scale
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Grade Weights
GRADE
POINTS
PERCENT
ASSIGNMENT
A
450-500
90-100
B
400-449
80-89
C
350-399
70-79
D
300-349
60-69
F
000-299
0-59
POINTS
PERCENT
Discussions & Participation
120
24%
Tanglewood Case
Development
200
40%
Quizzes, Midterm & Final
Exam
180
36%
TOTAL
500
100%
Schedule of Due Dates
NOTE: Minimum of 300 words required in Answer for Chapter Question
WEEK
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE FOR MGMT 364
POINTS
DUE DATE
Post personal introduction (This is NOT a graded exercise)
Review Online Learning Center for our text
Discussion 1 - (review rubrics in course)
(Minimum 300 words)
10
Wednesday
Responses to five classmate initial discussions
5
Sunday
Review Tanglewood Casebook– Familiarize yourself with entire
case /appendix
0
Sunday
Quiz for Chapters 1 & 2
Quiz covering Plagiarism - this is not a graded exercise but must
be completed before grades are posted to the gradebook.
10
Sunday
Discussion Two (review rubrics in course)
10
Wednesday
Responses to five classmate initial discussions
5
Sunday
Dropbox Assignment 1 - Tanglewood Case 2 - Questions 1 – 4,
last page of Case - Tanglewood Casebook
35
Quiz for Chapters 3 & 4
10
Sunday
Discussion 3 (review rubrics in course)
10
Wednesday
Responses to five classmate initial discussions
5
Sunday
Dropbox Assignment 2 - Tanglewood Case 3- Questions 1 – 6,
(last page of case) - Tanglewood Casebook
30
Quiz for Chapters 5 & 6
10
Sunday
Discussion 4 (review rubrics in course)
10
Wednesday
Sunday
Sunday
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Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
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Responses to five classmate initial discussions
5
Sunday
Quiz on Chapters 7 & 8
10
Sunday
Midterm (Over Chapters 1 – 8)
50
Sunday
Discussion 5 (review rubrics in course)
10
Wednesday
Responses to five classmate initial discussions
5
Sunday
Quiz for Chapters 9 & 10
10
Sunday
Discussion 6 (review rubrics in course)
10
Wednesday
Responses to five classmate initial discussions
5
Sunday
Dropbox Assignment 3 - Tanglewood Case 6, - Questions 1, 3 & 4
(last page of case) Tanglewood Casebook
60
Quiz for Chapters 11 & 12
10
Sunday
Discussion 7 (review rubrics in course)
10
Wednesday
Responses to five classmate initial discussions
5
Sunday
Quiz for Chapter 13
10
Sunday
Complete Course Evaluation
Week 8
Sunday
Closes
Thurs.
Dropbox Assignment 4- Tanglewood Case 7, Questions 2, 4, Last
page of the case) - Tanglewood Casebook
50
Sunday
Discussion 8 (review rubrics in course)
10
Wednesday
Responses to five classmate initial discussions
5
Saturday
Dropbox Assignment 5 – Case Summary
25
Saturday
Quiz for Chapter 14
10
Saturday
Final (Over Chapters 9 – 14)
50
Saturday
Assignment Overview
All written exercises will reflect the accurate application of the week's topics presented during that
week's material, with attention toward creative problem solving, presentation style and originality of
contribution.
Each student is responsible for:
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Reading assignments: Weekly reading assignments should be completed before
Discussion, Quiz and Dropbox assignments.
Discussion questions: Complete weekly online Discussion by the assigned dates.
Additional discussions related to the material are encouraged. The minimum word
requirements must be met for each Discussion assignment. Additional input significantly
beyond the minimum of 300 words may lessen the score for that discussion answer, as it is
critical to be concise and to the point.
Responses: Respond to 5 fellow students who posted in each of the discussions. .
Quizzes: Complete weekly quizzes covering specified chapters of the text
Midterm and final: Available online in the Quiz section of the course during the 4th and 8th
weeks.
Tanglewood Case Work: A total of 5 cases are required during the 8 week period. Four of
the cases are take from the Casebook listed in the Content section of the course and in the
assignment schedule listed above. One is a summary of what you learned from each of those
cases.
Using the Internet to reference related material is advised to expand understanding and
research current available facts. Post the hyperlink to the exact location being referenced to
facilitate the instructor and other students in quickly finding and reviewing the reference
being shared.
Course Schedule
Week 1 – Staffing Models and Strategy/ Legal Compliance
Readings: Chapters 1 & 2
Class Activities:
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Familiarize yourself with your email program and electronic resources. Tour the college
Web site -http://www.ccis.edu/online
Review the Syllabus and Welcome Letter
Visit the textbook online learning center Staffing Organizations
Visit the Content area of the course and familiarize yourself with the information provided
there
Be sure to open the Tanglewood Casebook. Check that you have the Appendix of the Case
also. You will be needing that material during the course. You can print out your casebook
and label each case and appendix for easy reference throughout the course or save as a file
for easy reference on your computer.
Open Discussion and provide Introductions. Tell about yourself by sharing background,
interests, or career plans and most importantly what you hope to learn from this course.
Review Rubrics of the course (found in the tool bar of the course )
Discussion 1: Consider a job you previously held or your current job (if never employed consider the
job of a relative or friend). Use the staffing components model to help you think through and describe
the staffing process that led to your getting hired for the job. Trace and describe the process 1) from
your own perspective as a job applicant, and (2) from the organization’s perspective. Use some of the
questions listed at the end of Chapter One under Applications of your text to jog your memory. You
need not repeat each question given there. Simply use these ideas to fashion your answer to
Discussion one. (Minimum 300 words, due Wednesday)
Responses: After reviewing all the discussions you should select 5 discussion postings of other
students and provide your response to a minimum of five. Post these in the discussion thread for
Week 1. (Due Sunday)
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Dropbox Assignment: Review Case One in The Tanglewood Case. It is imperative that you read and
understand what the case is about. You will learn about the Tanglewood Stores. Make sure you also
note that there are appendixes in the back of the case that will be necessary toward the end of the
course work.
Quiz: Complete 20-question Quiz over Chapters 1 & 2 by Sunday
Week 2– Planning/ Job Analysis and Rewards
Readings: Chapters 3 & 4
Discussion 2: Following the guidelines in the Applications following Chapter 4. Conduct a Job
Requirements or Job Rewards Job Analysis of a job you want to study. Prepare a written report of
your project. (Minimum 300 words, due Wednesday)
Responses: After reviewing all the discussions you should select 5 discussion postings of other
students and provide your responses to those five. Post these in the discussion thread for Week 2.
(Due Sunday)
Dropbox Assignment 1: Review Case Two in The Tanglewood Case. You will find specific details on
the last page of Case 2 in the casebook. Complete 1 - 4. Submit your recommendations to the
Dropbox by Sunday midnight.
Quiz: Complete 20-question Quiz in course over Chapters 3 & 4 by Sunday.
Week 3– External Recruitment/Internal Recruitment
Readings: Chapters 5 & 6
Discussion 3: Upward mobility is important to all organizations and particularly critical to
employees. Traditional career paths emphasize strict upward mobility within an organization. How
does mobility differ in organizations with innovative career paths? List the career paths discussed in
our text, sharing not only how mobility occurs in each, but also how you might have observed such
practices or the lack of them in your own experience. How do you feel about these innovative career
paths? (Minimum 300 words, due Wednesday)
Responses: After reviewing all the discussions you should select 5 discussion postings of other
students and provide your response to those five. Post these in the discussion thread for Week 3.
(Due Sunday)
Dropbox Assignment #2: Review Case Three in The Tanglewood Casebook . You will find specific
details on the last page of Case 3 in the casebook. Complete questions 1 – 6. Submit your casework
to the Dropbox by Sunday midnight.
Quiz: Complete 20-question Quiz over Chapters 5 & 6 by Sunday.
Week 4– Measurements/External Selection I
Readings: Chapters 7 & 8
Discussion 4: Some methods of initial assessment appear to be more useful than others. If you were
starting your own business, which initial assessment methods would you use and why? Be sure to
reflect your knowledge of ideas presented in Chapter eight as you develop your own suggestions. Keep
in mind the necessity of being able to measure assessments. (Minimum 300 words, due Wedneday)
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Responses: After reviewing all the discussions you should select 5 discussion postings of other
students and provide your response to those five. Post these in the discussion thread for Week 4.
(Due Sunday)
Quiz: Complete 20-question Quiz over Chapters 7 & 8 by Sunday.
Midterm Exam: In the Quizzes area of D2L, complete the midterm exam no later than Sunday. The
midterm covers chapters 1-8.
Week 5– External Selection II/Internal Selection
Readings: Chapters 9 & 10
Discussion: Describe the structured interview. What are the characteristics of structured interviews
that improve on the shortcomings of unstructured interviews? Develop one original situational
question and an accompanying rating scale using benchmark responses with assigned values to be
used in a structured interview. Be sure to note the task you are targeting for the job. (This task will
prepare you for the next casework assignment at Tanglewood.) Due Wednesday Minimum 300 words.
Responses: After reviewing all the discussions you should select 5 discussion postings of other
students and provide your response to those five. Post these in the discussion thread for Week 5. Due
Sunday
Dropbox Assignment: Review Case Six in The Tanglewood Case Start developing your situational
and behavioral questions for the next case and a scoring key for each of those questions. Dropbox 3
is not due until Week 6, but it is good to get a head start as it requires significant time.
Quiz: Complete 20-question Quiz over Chapters 9 & 10 by Sunday.
Week 6– Decision Making/Final Match
Readings: Chapters 11 & 12
Discussion 6: Address one of the following questions in the discussion. (Minimum 300 words, due
Wednesday)
Choice one: Describe each of the four methods or approaches given in the Compensatory
model used for final selection decisions. Then, in your own words, describe the pros and
cons of each.
Choice two: Describe the Multiple Hurdles predictor method of selection – What advantage
do you see in this method compared to those given in the compensatory methods explained
in your text?
Responses: After reviewing all the discussions you should select 5 discussion postings of other
students and provide your response to those five. Post these in the discussion thread for Week 6.
Due Sunday
Dropbox Assignment 3: Review Case Six in The Tanglewood Case. You will find specific details on
the last page of Case 6 in the casebook. Complete Questions1, 3, & 4. Submit your recommendations
to the Dropbox by Sunday midnight.
Quiz: Complete 20-question Quiz over Chapters 11 & 12 by Sunday.
Course Evaluation: Please evaluate the course. You will have an opportunity to evaluate the course
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near the end of the session. A link will be sent to your CougarMail that will allow you to access the
evaluation
Week 7– Staffing System Management
Readings: Chapters 13
Discussion: Address one of the following questions in the discussion. (Minimum 300 words, due
Wednesday)
Choice One: In developing a report on the effectiveness of a staffing process for entry-level
jobs, what factors would you address and why?
Choice two: What are the advantages of having a centralized staffing function, as opposed to
letting each manager be totally responsible for all staffing activities in his or her unit?
Responses: After reviewing all the discussions you should select 5 discussion postings of other
students and provide your response to those five. Post these in the discussion thread for Week 7.
Due Sunday
Dropbox Assignment 4: Review Case Seven in The Tanglewood Casebook. You will find specific
details on the last page of Case 7, Questions 2 & 4 in the casebook. Submit your work and
recommendations to the Dropbox by Sunday midnight.
Quiz: Complete 20-question Quiz over Chapter 13 by Sunday.
Week 8– Retention Management
Readings: Chapter 14
Discussion: Discuss some potential problems with downsizing as an organization’s first response to
a need to cut labor costs. Due Wednesday
Responses: After reviewing all the discussions you should select 5 discussion postings of other
students and provide your response to those five. Post these in the discussion thread for Week 8. Due
Saturday
Dropbox Assignment #5: Compile a summary of your learning experience from the The
Tanglewood Case. Submit your 2 – 3 page double spaced pages of comments to the Dropbox by
Saturday midnight.
Quiz: Complete 20-question Quiz over Chapters 14 by Saturday.
Final Exam: In the Quizzes area of D2L, complete the final exam on Saturday. Absolutely no later
than Saturday. The class will be closed for input after Saturday night midnight. The final covers
chapters 9-14.
Course Policies
Student Conduct
All Columbia College students, whether enrolled in a land-based or online course, are responsible for
behaving in a manner consistent with Columbia College's Student Conduct Code and Acceptable Use
Policy. Students violating these policies will be referred to the office of Student Affairs and/or the
office of Academic Affairs for possible disciplinary action. The Student Code of Conduct and the
Computer Use Policy for students can be found in the Columbia College Student Handbook. The
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Handbook is available online; you can also obtain a copy by calling the Student Affairs office (Campus
Life) at 573-875-7400. The teacher maintains the right to manage a positive learning environment,
and all students must adhere to the conventions of online etiquette.
Plagiarism
Your grade will be based in large part on the originality of your ideas and your written presentation
of these ideas. Presenting the words, ideas, or expression of another in any form as your own is
plagiarism. Students who fail to properly give credit for information contained in their written work
(papers, journals, exams, etc.) are violating the intellectual property rights of the original author. For
proper citation of the original authors, you should reference the appropriate publication manual for
your degree program or course (APA, MLA, etc.). Violations are taken seriously in higher education
and may result in a failing grade on the assignment, a grade of "F" for the course, or dismissal from
the College.
Collaboration conducted between students without prior permission from the instructor is
considered plagiarism and will be treated as such. Spouses and roommates taking the same course
should be particularly careful.
All required papers may be submitted for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection
of plagiarism. All submitted papers may be included in the Turnitin.com reference database for the
purpose of detecting plagiarism. This service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on
the Turnitin.com site.
Note: A quiz covering plagiarism is posted in the Quiz section of the course. You will need to take this
quiz during the first week of the course. It is not a graded exercise, but is required before your work
can be posted to the gradebook.
Non-Discrimination
There will be no discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation,
religion, ideology, political affiliation, veteran status, age, physical handicap, or marital status.
Disability Services
Students with documented disabilities who may need academic services for this course are required
to register with the Coordinator for Disability Services at (573) 875-7626. Until the student has been
cleared through the disability services office, accommodations do not have to be granted. If you are a
student who has a documented disability, it is important for you to read the entire syllabus before
enrolling in the course. The structure or the content of the course may make an accommodation not
feasible.
Online Participation
You are expected to read the assigned texts and participate in the discussions and other course
activities each week. Assignments should be posted by the due dates stated on the grading schedule
in your syllabus. If an emergency arises that prevents you from participating in class, please let your
instructor know as soon as possible.
Attendance Policy
Attendance for a week will be counted as having submitted a course assignment for which points
have been earned during that week of the session or if the proctoring information has been
submitted or the plagiarism quiz taken if there is no other assignment due that week. A class week is
defined as the period of time between Monday and Sunday (except for Week 8, when the week and
the course will end on Saturday at midnight). The course and system deadlines are all based on the
Central Time Zone.
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Cougar E-mail
All students are provided a CougarMail account when they enroll in classes at Columbia College. You
are responsible for monitoring e-mail from that account for important messages from the College and
from your instructor. You may forward your Cougar e-mail account to another account; however, the
College cannot be held responsible for breaches in security or service interruptions with other e-mail
providers.
Students should use e-mail for private messages to the instructor and other students. The class
discussions are for public messages so the class members can each see what others have to say about
any given topic and respond.
Late Assignment Policy
An online class requires regular participation and a commitment to your instructor and your
classmates to regularly engage in the reading, discussion and writing assignments. Although most of
the online communication for this course is asynchronous, you must be able to commit to the
schedule of work for the class for the next eight weeks. You must keep up with the schedule of
reading and writing to successfully complete the class.
No late assignments will be accepted without extenuating circumstances beyond the
control of the student and with instructor notification prior to the due date (Columbia College
Catalog).
Course Evaluation
You will have an opportunity to evaluate the course near the end of the session. A link will be sent to
your CougarMail that will allow you to access the evaluation. Be assured that the evaluations are
anonymous and that your instructor will not be able to see them until after final grades are
submitted.
Additional Resources
Orientation for New Students
This course is offered online, using course management software provided by Desire2Learn and
Columbia College. The Student Manual provides details about taking an online course at Columbia
College. You may also want to visit the course demonstration to view a sample course before this one
opens.
Technical Support
If you have problems accessing the course or posting your assignments, contact your instructor, the
Columbia College Helpdesk, or the D2L Helpdesk for assistance. Contact information is also available
within the online course environment.
CCHelpDesk@ccis.edu
helpdesk@desire2learn.com
800-231-2391 ex. 4357
877-325-7778
Online Tutoring
Smarthinking is a free online tutoring service available to all Columbia College students.
Smarthinking provides real-time online tutoring and homework help for Math, English, and Writing.
Smarthinking also provides access to live tutorials in writing and math, as well as a full range of study
resources, including writing manuals, sample problems, and study skills manuals. You can access the
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service from wherever you have a connection to the Internet. I encourage you to take advantage of
this free service provided by the college.
Access Smarthinking through CougarTrack under Students->Academics->Academic Resources.
Grading Criteria
Grade
Assignment Posting/
Points
Criteria for Course Discussion Postings
A
9-10 points
Online posting is on time. Answers are complete, concise and exemplary.
Shows familiarity with the assigned readings. Additional research on the
topic is reflected by the posting of a source outside of the text to support
and expand the ideas in the discussion. If a web link is used it must be
hyper-linked and accurately cited. Five responses are substantial and
timely. They add meaning to the discussion.
B
8 – 8.9 points
Assignment was excused by the instructor prior to being late with
documented evidence of crisis. Quality answers for all questions are
thorough, but not exemplary for this class.
C
7-7.9 points
Assignment answers are acceptable answers and demonstrate genuine
effort.
D
6-6.9 points
Assignment incomplete. Lacks Understanding of the topic. Lots of words,
but no coherent thought pattern.
F
1-5.9 points
Assignment does not meet minimum requirements. Does not demonstrate
required effort.
Percent
Criteria for Case Assignments
A
90 - 100
Report is received on time; answers well thought out, organized, spelling
and grammatical errors rare. Well written, critical, analytical, and
informed thinking is evident. Reflect thorough understanding of methods
or concepts.
B
80 - 89
Assignment is late but properly excused with the instructor prior to being
late. Questions well thought out, well written, and/or evidence of some
critical thinking.
C
70 - 79
Assignment answers are incomplete but demonstrate a basic
understanding of the topic and text material. Spelling and grammatical
errors need attention.
D
60 - 69
Assignment is poorly written and/or poorly thought out/ sloppy work.
May have many spelling and grammatical errors, and student appears to
have missed the main ideas.
F
0 - 59
Assignment shows little evidence student even read the text to offer an
informed response.