Day: November 3, 2020

You have just begun a new stage in your careeryou have been hired to be the Human Resources (HR) Manager for Berkley Innovative Technologies. Upon meeting the CEO, she described how the companys workforce demographics have changed substantially over the past two decades. Previous HR managers, along with many supervisors, have mostly been Caucasian males ranging in age between 50s and early 60s, and typically from a Judeo-Christian background. The CEO also indicated that workplace strife has been steadily increasing, and her team is concerned that it may be related to the changing demographics in the workforce.

The CEO has tasked you with creating an educational manual to be utilized in training the existing front-line supervisors. This will be followed with sensitivity training to help all employees understand the complexities of the changing workforce and what it means for the future.

Diversity Training Manual: Part I (23 pages)

Part I of the training manual should address the following:

Title page
Table of contents
Part I is to be titled: Introduction to Diversity and Demographics in the Workforce
Begin your manual with a brief explanation of each form of discrimination (religion, race, gender, age, and immigrant vs. native-born) as it relates to the workplace.
Part 1 will conclude with information on the sections below regarding the demographics of the U.S. population:
Sections:
Current statistics
Recent trends
Forecasted trends
Information for this question can be located using some or all of the Web sites listed below. You are not limited to the resources provided and may use additional outside materials for this section if needed. Be sure to properly cite all work.
Web site 1
Web site 2
Web site 3
Web site 4
Then, address the following information as it relates to diversity in the workforce:
The customs and values of 2 of the largest minority races or religions in the workforce (e.g., the dramatic increase in the Hispanic and Muslim percentage of the workforce)
The need for sensitivity to their differing values and customs
Legislation affecting supervisor regulations relating to these groups
Diversity Training Manual: Part II (12 pages)

As the new HR Manager, you are now ready to complete the next section of the diversity training manual that is targeted at making your workforce supervisors more aware of current racial diversity issues, explaining how the supervisors should address them. The goal of this section is to supply information to reduce potential tensions in the workplace among a racially diverse body of employees.

Part II is to be titled: Historical Issues of Different Races in the Workplace and How to Handle Them

This section should discuss the following:
Racial diversity in the workforce now and how it will look in the future, based on the U.S. population’s racial demographic changes
Specific issues that create tensions in the workplace between different groups
How leaders and supervisors need to address these potential issues
Potential areas of focus for this part could include, but are not limited to, the following:
Adopting a more diverse definition of diversity
Using technology such as AI to avoid unconscious bias
Sourcing candidates with nontraditional credentials
Testing diversity initiatives with data
Standardizing the interview process to reduce bias
Diversity Training Manual: Part III (23 pages)

The CEO indicated that gender issues are also of great concern for her in moving the company forward. With an overwhelming amount of men at the company, she wants to avoid any potential gender issues when writing job requirements, hiring employees, and interactions in the workplace. For this section, specifically address these 3 gender issues, and provide suggestions as to how to raise the sensitivity of all supervisors regarding these issues. Be certain to address concerns such as: Can the supervisor hand out work assignments that he or she feels are better suited to different genders? Can he or she write a job requirement that only one gender can meet, such as a strength requirement?

Part III is to be titled: Overcoming Gender Issues in the Workforce

This section of the manual must, at a minimum, address the following information:
A few general facts about the U.S. population’s gender mix and the gender mix found in notable segments of the workforce
Make sure to include all sources of information.
Address the 3 gender issues raised by the CEO, and provide suggestions on how to raise the sensitivity of all supervisors regarding these issues.
The essence and applicability of the landmark Griggs v. Duke Power case dealing with stated job requirements should be addressed
Click here to read the Griggs v. Duke Power case.
Describe state minimum job requirements when requesting new employees to be hired into the department
Explain how the supervisor might communicate to his or her department (of all male employees) when a female is about to become part of the work team

In week 3’s first assignment, you learned about all of Bill’s legal woes. Well, Bill is back again. And it again concerns his side business of building duck calls.
Shortly after his first visit with you, Bill went to a Wild Game Dinner. At the event, Bill met Joseph, who is the cousin of one of Bill’s neighbors. Joseph has a sports and hunting store in Clarksville, TN. Bill told Joseph about his duck calls. Joseph said that he would be interested in selling them in his store on a trial basis. To encourage him to do the trial, Bill told Joseph that he would give him a discounted price for his first order. 
The next week, Joseph sent Bill his store’s standard purchase order form, which included pre-written terms, such as an arbitration clause and a warranty of merchantability. Joseph requested to purchase 50 units at the “discounted” price that Bill spoke of at the event. Joseph requests to pay for the units in 90 days. 
Bill was excited. He quickly sent a written confirmation to Bill. However, in the confirmation, Bill again made some typographical errors. First, Bill wrote the wrong price. Second, Bill wrote the wrong number of units.  In pertinent part, Bill’s confirmation stated:
“Thanks for agreeing to try selling my duck calls in your store. As I mentioned, I will give you a discounted price. I normally sell my handcrafted wooden duck calls to retailers for $43.00 with a suggested retail price of $59.99. Since you are trying them out, I will sell you 500 for $3.500. I will send you the units as soon as I have them ready. I have no problem with payment in 90 days from now.”
Joseph reviewed the written confirmation a few days later. Joseph is initially upset about Bill increasing the units from 50 to 500; however, after seeing the discount he is getting, Joseph has no problem with the increased purchase order. He believes that, if they do not sell well, he can easily sell the duck calls for $12.99 and make a good profit. As such, Joseph does not say anything to Bill about the increased purchase order. Instead, Joseph tells Bill, “I agree to the terms you sent.” 
Bill sends Joseph 50 duck calls about a week after Joseph’s confirmation. Joseph likes the duck calls and thinks they are good quality. He places them on sale for $29.99 and sells the first 50 units in two weeks. As such, Joseph is anxious to get the next batch. He sends Bill an email, stating in pertinent part: “The ducks calls are a big hit! I’ve sold out! Send me the remaining units as quick as you can. Do you have any idea when you will send more units?”
Bill is confused by Joseph’s email. Bill reviews the prior correspondence and sees his two errors. He calls Joseph and tells Joseph about the errors. Joseph thinks Bill is now regretting their deal since the duck calls sold so fast. He believes that Bill wants to sell his duck calls at a higher price. Joseph tells Bill that he cannot back out of their deal now because they have a contract.
Bill has come to you for help. Please give Bill some guidance on this mess he has gotten himself into. (20 points)

No other sources than what is provided.

After reading Chapter 3, The Skills Approach, please discuss the following questions on Case C3.1:  a Strained Research Team on pages 60-62 in our text Leadership:

Based on the skills approach, how would you assess Dr. Wood’s leadership and his relationship to the members of the Elder Care Project team?  Will the project be successful?
Based on readings, does Dr Wood have the skills necessary to be an effective leader of the research team?
The skills model describes three important competencies for leaders:  problem solving skills, social judgment skills and knowledge.  If you were to coach Dr Wood using this model, what competencies would you address with him?  What changes would you suggest that he make in his leadership?

Case 3.1: A Strained Research Team
Dr. Adam Wood is the principal investigator on a three-year, $1 million federally funded research grant to study health
education programs for older populations, called the Elder Care Project. Unlike previous projects, in which Dr. Wood
worked alone or with one or two other investigators, on this project Dr. Wood has 11 colleagues. His project team is made
up of two co-investigators (with PhDs), four intervention staff (with MAs), and five general staff members (with BAs).
One year into the project, it has become apparent to Dr. Wood and the team that the project is underbudgeted and has too
few resources. Team members are spending 20%30% more time on the project than has been budgeted to pay them.
Regardless of the resource strain, all team members are committed to the project; they believe in its goals and the
importance of its outcomes. Dr. Wood is known throughout the country as the foremost scholar in this area of health
education research. He is often asked to serve on national review and advisory boards. His publication record is second to
none. In addition, his colleagues in the university know Dr. Wood as a very competent researcher. People come to Dr.
Wood for advice on research design and methodology questions. They also come to him for questions about theoretical
formulations. He has a reputation as someone who can see the big picture on research projects.
Despite his research competence, there are problems on Dr. Woods research team. Dr. Wood worries there is a great deal
of work to be done but that the members of the team are not devoting sufficient time to the Elder Care Project. He is
frustrated because many of the day-to-day research tasks of the project are falling into his lap. He enters a research
meeting, throws his notebook down on the table, and says, I wish Id never taken this project on. Its taking way too
much of my time. The rest of you arent pulling your fair share. Team members feel exasperated at Dr. Woods
comments. Although they respect his competence, they find his leadership style frustrating. His negative comments at staff
meetings are having a demoralizing effect on the research team. Despite their hard work and devotion to the project, Dr.
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Wood seldom compliments or praises their efforts. Team members believe that they have spent more time than anticipated
on the project and have received less pay or credit than expected. The project is sucking away a lot of staff energy, yet Dr.
Wood does not seem to understand the pressures confronting his staff.
The research staff is starting to feel burned out, but members realize they need to keep trying because they are under time
constraints from the federal government to do the work promised. The team needs to develop a pamphlet for the
participants in the Elder Care Project, but the pamphlet costs are significantly more than budgeted in the grant. Dr. Wood
has been very adept at finding out where they might find small pockets of money to help cover those costs.
Although team members are pleased that he is able to obtain the money, they are sure he will use this as just another
example of how he was the one doing most of the work on the project.

Questions
1. Based on the skills approach, how would you assess Dr. Woods leadership and his relationship to the members of
the Elder Care Project team? Will the project be successful?
2. Does Dr. Wood have the skills necessary to be an effective leader of this research team?
3. The skills model describes three important competencies for leaders: problem-solving skills, social judgment skills,
and knowledge. If you were to coach Dr. Wood using this model, what competencies would you address with him?
What changes would you suggest that he make in his leadership?

After reading Chapter 4, the Behavioral Approach, please discuss the following questions on Case C4.2:  Eating Lunch Standing Up on pages 84 in our text Leadership:

According to the Behavioral Approach, how would you describe Susan’s leadership style?
Based on this reading, why does her leadership behavior create such a reaction from her subordinates?
Do you think she should change her behavior? Why or why not?
Would she be effective is she changed?  Why or why not? 

Case 4.2: Eating Lunch Standing Up
Susan Parks is the part-owner and manager of Marathon Sports, an athletic equipment store that specializes in running
shoes and accessories. The store employs about 10 people, most of whom are college students who work part-time during
the week and full-time on weekends. Marathon Sports is the only store of its kind in a college town with a population of
125,000. The annual sales figures for the store have shown 15% growth each year.
Susan has a lot invested in the store, and she works very hard to make sure the store continues to maintain its reputation
and pattern of growth. She works 50 hours a week at the store, where she wears many hats, including those of buyer,
scheduler, trainer, planner, and salesperson. There is never a moment when Susan is not doing something. Rumor has it
that she eats her lunch standing up.
Employees reactions to Susan are strong and varied. Some people like her style, and others do not. Those who like her
style talk about how organized and efficient the store is when she is in charge. Susan makes the tasks and goals for
everyone very clear. She keeps everyone busy; when they go home at night, they feel as if they have accomplished
something. They like to work for Susan because she knows what she is doing. Those who do not like her style complain
that she is too driven. It seems that her sole purpose for being at the store is to get the job done. She seldom, if ever, takes a
break or just hangs out with the staff. These people say Susan is pretty hard to relate to, and as a result, it is not much fun
working at Marathon Sports.
Susan is beginning to sense that employees have a mixed reaction to her leadership style. This bothers her, but she does
not know what to do about it. In addition to her work at the store, Susan struggles hard to be a good spouse and mother of
three children.

Questions
1. According to the behavioral approach, how would you describe Susans leadership?
2. Why does her leadership behavior create such a pronounced reaction from her employees?
3. Do you think she should change her behavior?
4. Would she be effective if she changed?