Chapter
Human Resources and Job Design
Discussion Questions
1.One would expect that elements of Maslow's needs hierarchy, Herzberg's Dual Factor theory, and Hackman and Oldham's core job characteristics would be contained in the answer.
2.Jobs have been considered "bad" because they are physically dangerous, "dirty," or "noisy"; psychologically repulsive, too mo-notonous; present too great a physical or intellectual challenge; or offend an individual's preferences with regard to general lifestyle or employment. Students should be encouraged not to identify a particular "right" job, but to try to identify precisely what issues relevant to the job appeal to or offend him or her. Note the core job characteristics of Hackman and Oldham: skill variety, job identity in job significance, autonomy, feedback.
3.Again, there is no set answer to this question. The important considerations are:
- The changes suggested should address the reasons that the original job was considered "bad"—not merely make the job different.
- The changes must be realistic—resources must exist or must be able to be developed that would allow implementation of the suggested job changes.
- The student should be encouraged to consider the difference between "production" and "productivity."
4.Jobs that can push the man-machine interface to the limit of man's capacity usually require a high rate of information processing, a high rate and accuracy of physical response, or both. Examples would be found in terms of pilots of high-performance jet or rocket-powered aircraft, crane operators, and a safety monitor for working at a nuclear power station.
5.The student should be encouraged to include Hackman and Oldham's five core job characteristics of skill variety, job identity, job significance, autonomy, and feedback.
6.Job enrichment relates primarily to increasing the cognitive
or intellectual requirements for the job, often by increasing
authority and responsibility.
Job enlargement relates primarily to an increase in the number of tasks to be performed.
Job rotation implies a formal arrangement for job switching among a particular group of workers within a specific set of jobs. Usually the workers are cross-trained on all or most jobs within the set.
Job specialization implies the opposite of job enrichment or job enlargement, where the job becomes narrow and the range of responsibility and authority restricted.
Employee empowerment is the practice of enriching jobs so that employees accept responsibility for a variety of decisions normally associated with staff specialists.
Teams often satisfy empowerment, core job characteristics, and higher level needs.
7.Vertical expansion refers to job enrichment that adds planning and control dimensions to the job; horizontal expansion refers to job enlargement which occurs when tasks of similar skills are added to the existing job.
8.Expanded jobs have workers performing more tasks; they are less specialized; there's more to learn. This may lead to higher accident rates.
9.Ergonomics is the study of human factors, the study of work.
Ergonomics can make work safer, less damaging, by redesign to tools, workspaces, and worker motions.
10.Techniques for methods analysis include: flow diagrams, process charts, activity charts, and operations charts.
11.Constraints on human resource strategy include: product strategy, process strategy, schedules, individual differences, location strategy, and layout strategy.
Ethical Dilemma
McWane Inc. is an interesting company—a repeat polluter, a dangerous workplace, a tough management team, privately held—yet it is a major philanthropic family in Birmingham and is respected for what it has given the city culturally. It also claims to be "cleaning up its act" in response to the terrible publicity it has received over the years. Students should use the Internet to update the 2003–2004 New York Times and The Wall Street Journal articles sourced. This will make for a lively classroom discussion.
(a) A new company nurse at McWane. Should she contact OSHA, quit, force the issue with management? These are usually no-win situations for employees to find themselves in.
(b) A purchase of McWane's products. Do you insist on ethics in your supply chain? This is an issue facing U.S. clothing makers whose factories are in China, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. Public opinion usually forces companies to insist their suppliers follow the same code of ethics they apply internally.
(c) McWane's banker. Do you intrude on your good customer's business ethics or keep your eyes and ears closed, hoping the attorneys and accountants handle the bad press?
(d) A supplier to McWane. Do you tell McWane you will not sell them $10 million in material per month because you don't approve of their ethical treatment of employees and the environment? Are you responsible to your shareholders to make a profit or set standards for ethics?
End-of-Chapter Problems
10.6The important point raised by this question is that actual ratings will depend on both the job and the psychological needs of the individual student. Students should be encouraged to evaluate the degree to which they require each of the psychological components cited by Hackman and Oldham; then to evaluate several jobs.
The following two examples are offered:
10.7
Times are based on those in Solved Problem 10.1. One could make the case that more (or less) overlap is possible between Gas Man #1 and Gas Man #2. Rules may also limit the number of "over the wall" crew allowed. This could change when the Gas Man #2 could start.
10.8
Note: Several operations could also be viewed as Transports.
10.9(a)Activity chart
10.9(b)Activity chart
10.11One way to do this is to divide the parts of the car
between the three people. For example, A can do the wheels and the top. B does the right side and hood, grill and bumper. C does the left side, trunk, and rear grill, lights, and bumper. Notes can be added under that column to give specific instructions and details.
After analysis via a process chart above, encourage student to use some imagination. Additional short elements (open package, open printer tray, etc.) may be appropriate. Some ideas for improved efficiency include: Move printer adjacent to computer, move limited paper storage to a shelf adjacent to the printer; place stapler on the table adjacent to the copier; don't wait for the printed copies, keep working until the printer is finished.
A more aggressive (and expensive) solution is to have a
sophisticated copier that takes the place of the printer (direct
from computer to copier) that does multiple sorted copies and staples them.
10.13An example is below. Individual responses may vary somewhat.
Case Study
THE FLEET THAT WANDERS
Can you imagine an analytical approach to documenting the problems reported by drivers?
We often use this case to explain that not all problems of this nature are behavioral. Indeed, this is a true case designed to show students that, based on what is known about human factors, the situation can be studied analytically. The design methodology for documenting Mr. Southard's case was to put monitors on the truck drivers to provide a record of their cardiovascular activity. Most of the drivers were doing day drives, that is, going and returning on the same day, thus the design called for monitoring a number of trips by each driver over the same routes using both the new and old trucks. In this way, comparisons could be made between
the work required to drive each truck as shown on the records from each driver. Additionally, the steering wheel on each truck was fitted with sensors to record the amount of motion required to control each kind of truck. The hypothesis was that the truck that required more work would also require greater steering wheel movement. The measure of steering wheel movement was used as evidence to validate the work implied by the record of cardiovascular activity.
There were, of course, some difficulties with this design. It was expensive to outfit the trucks and drivers with the monitoring devices. The cooperation of the drivers was needed because the use of the monitors constituted an invasion of privacy. In addition, on longer trips, the cardiovascular sensors needed to be removed before, and reattached after, every break or delivery stop.
Note: This can make for an excellent classroom exercise and discussion.
Video Case Study
HARD ROCK'S HUMAN RESOURCE STRATEGY
There is an 8-minute video, available from Prentice Hall, filmed specifically for this text that can be shown at this time. An edited, 2-minute version of the video also appears on the student DVD in the text.
1.Hard Rock has lower employee turnover than the industry
due to its
- thorough screening at hiring
- tolerant, even accepting culture of diversity
- great benefit package
- effective indoctrination and training, empowerment
- focus on team work and even outside volunteer work.
2.The human resource department supports the overall theme restaurant strategy (the experience economy concept) by aggressive
screening, including an evaluation of how the employee will contribute to the Hard Rock experience. The human resource department at Hard Rock recognizes that they are responsible for a critical
element in Hard Rock's strategy. So they must recruit and retain the
human capital that is necessary to fulfill that mission and strategy.
3.An automobile assembly line probably allows less opportunity for creativity and individual expression than a waiter or waitress at Hard Rock, although both organizations can probably put motivated well-trained personnel to good use.
4.The job design literature is rich with many improvements that can be made in the traditional assembly line. The Hackman and Oldham core job characteristics can, with a little imagination, be applied to the assembly line. Job rotation can aid Skill Variety;
helping employees see the fruits of their labor in the finished product will help with Job Identity and Job Significance;
providing opportunity for self-direction by adding planning and control tasks to the job can contribute to Autonomy; and Supervisory Feedback is easy for the tuned-in supervisor. All these are further augmented by job enlargement, job enrichment,
Maslow's self-actualization, and Hertzberg's motivators, such as responsibility, the work itself, recognition, advancement, and achievement. And, of course, the hygiene factors of security, status, working conditions, pay, interpersonal relations, supervision, and company policy and administration can all play a positive role in the quality of life on the job/assembly line. Note: Maslow's hierarchy and Hertzberg's dual factors are not discussed in the chapter.
Internet Case Study*
KARSTADT vs JCPENNEY
The case examines the differences in work ethic between a
German department store employee and an American department store employee.
Key Points
- Andreas Drauschke and Angie Clark hold positions at similar levels in department stores, and receive similar pay. However, Drauschke, who works in Germany, works far fewer hours than Clark, who works in the U.S.
* This case study is found on our Companion Web site, www.prenhall. com/heizer.
- In fact, Drauschke works just 37 hours a week, and receives six weeks vacation each year, while Clark works at least 44 hours
a week, and takes off only a week at a time. Clark notes that Germans see leisure time as being more important than work time. - The difference between the German work style and the American
work style extends in to other areas. For example, turnover at the German store is all but nonexistent, while at the American store it is 40 percent a year. In addition, German employees
receive extensive training, while workers at the American store receive minimal instruction. - Many employees at the American store also have a second job, however Drauschke values his free time, and works no longer than absolutely necessary. His view point is shared by other Germans who fiercely protested the recent mandate that depart-ment stores would stay open one evening each week. Germany also prohibits working second jobs during vacation time.
1.How does the work culture in the United States differ from that in Germany?
Human resource management (HRM) refers to the activities directed at attracting, developing, and maintaining an effective workforce to achieve an organization's objectives. Students will probably conclude that at least in the retailing
industry, American HR managers spend less time both in
recruiting and selecting managers, and preparing them for their jobs than their German counterparts. As a result, turnover is very high in the U.S. as compared to Germany. While the case does not provide information regarding how employees in either country are evaluated, the total compensation package received by Germans seems to be preferable to that which American workers receive.2.What do you see as the basic advantages and disadvantages of each system?
Most students will probably suggest that the extensive effort that appears to go into selecting and training German workers is a clear advantage of the German system. Students taking this perspective are likely to support their contention by pointing to the high turnover rate in the U.S. as compared to Germany. Many students may see the restriction faced by German workers regarding second jobs as being an intrusion in an individual's private life, and therefore see it as a disadvantage. Finally, most students will probably agree that the compensation package received by German workers is far more likely to improve employee morale than the package
received by American workers.3.If you were the top operations executive for an international department store chain with stores in both Germany and the United States, what basic issues would you need to address regarding corporate human resource policies?
A primary issue that would have to be addressed is the difference in compensation packages between the U.S. and
Germany. German workers have shorter work weeks and far more vacation time than their American counterparts, yet receive similar pay. A second issue that would have to be
addressed is the difference in worker training and development. German department stores may spend two or three years preparing employees, while American stores might spend just two or three days. Furthermore, recruiting and selection issues would have to be addressed, not only because German employees frequently complete an apprentice program prior to becoming full-time employees, and thus require very careful selection, but also because turnover is much higher in the U.S. than in Germany.
4.Are retailing employee issues different than other industries?
Most students will probably suggest that the issues outlined in question 3 above are probably important in all industries. One area that might be different is the issue of turnover. While turnover is very high in U.S. retailing, it is likely to be less of a problem in industries where workers receive extensive training and/or belong to unions.
5.Under which system would you prefer to work?
Most students will probably suggest that the German work system is preferable than the American work system. Students taking this perspective will probably point out that American workers frequently appear to be stressed out on the job and do not have enough time with family. Other students, however, might object to some of the constraints of the German system, such as the prohibition of second jobs during vacation time. Students taking this perspective are likely to suggest that there should be no limits to working as hard as possible in
order to get ahead.
Additional Case Application
Case question 3 asks students to identify issues that would be faced by an American operations manager who worked for an in-ternational department store chain with branches in both the U.S. and Germany. Students can carry this exercise one step further by holding a round table discussion reading compensation packages. Each student can be assigned to take on the rule of either the American executive, a German worker or an American worker.
Source: R.W. Griffin and M.W. Pustay, International Business 2nd ed. (Reading, MA., Addison-Wesley), 1999. Solution appears on page 347–349 of Instructor's Manual by V. Horton and S.K. Sokoya.
