Case Study Part II – General Appliances
In Part 2 of the case study, we will continue our work with General Appliances, with a shift in focus.
Synopsis
Mark Swann, the director of human resources at General Appliances, was impressed with the recruiting strategy you presented in Part 1 of the case study. While the company prepares to implement your plan, his focus has shifted to retaining General Appliances’ current employees in order to avoid a staffing shortage. He has compiled a list of additional questions for which hes seeking your advice as a consultant.
Requirements
Your report for the case study must include the following sections (note there is no overview required for Part 2 of the case study, as one was provided in Part 1):
*Discussion Questions Answer the discussion questions listed below
*Conclusion Briefly reflect your thoughts and opinions based on the case
*Reference Page – This must be included
In addition to the information in the case study itself, students should utilize a minimum of three sources, which can include the textbook and/or any recommended supplemental material, in order to complete this assignment. These sources must be credible and scholarly (i.e., no unvetted blog posts or use of Wikipedia). Industry organizations such as SHRM, as well as publications such as the Harvard Business Review and other peer-reviewed journals, are all good examples of credible sources. Remember to use parenthetical in-text citations in APA format throughout your paper to indicate the source of your information.
Discussion Questions
1. First, Swann wants to take a more analytical approach to tackle the potential staffing shortage. Since Chapter 3 of your textbook covered HR forecasting, you know there are three primary methodologies: (1) manager judgement, (2) Markov Analysis, and (3) replacement and succession planning. Which of these three approaches would you recommend to Swann? What are some possible limitations of your recommended methodology?
2. What should Swann do to ensure that employees are trained properly on the new equipment, and that they are emotionally and physically ready for the new technology? Provide specific examples.
3. Swann is aware that workplace injuries are more common in the manufacturing industry, and that older workers might experience more difficulty with such jobs due to the possibility of physical declines (Maertens et al., 2012). However, hes also aware that under the Americans with Disabilities Act, he might need to accommodate workers who can no longer do their jobs because of a disability. How should health and safety concerns be addressed in light of this?
4. General Appliances has fostered a culture that values employees, and Swann wants to build upon that. With this in mind, what tactics might he use to retain aging employees at the company?
Format
All papers must be completed in APA format. This assignment should be between 2-3 pages in length (the cover page and reference page do not count towards this minimum), and must be typed using Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced, and with one-inch margins. Papers should also be spell-checked and grammar-checked.
An abstract is not required, and will not count towards the 2-3 page length requirement if included. It is preferred that students not copy and paste the discussion questions into their papers; if the questions are included, they will not count towards the page requirement minimum.
