DQ 2.1

1. Choose three sources of competitive advantage (cost, innovation, etc.). After you identify your sources of competitive advantage, identify the potential strategic performance drivers that are critical for realizing those sources of competitive advantage. How does how you manage employees affect your ability to achieve those strategic performance drivers.

DQ 2.2

2. Identify a healthcare organization you are familiar with. How would you describe that organization's strategy? Given its strategy, what do you think are the organization's strategic performance drivers? Explain your rationale behind your choices.

DQ 2.3

3. What is a core competency, and what are the core competency areas for healthcare human resources?

DQ 2.4

4. What are the six key inputs to a healthcare HR strategic plan?

DQ 3.1

1. Discuss the difference between affirmative action and quota systems. Why do you think employers often confuse these concepts?

DQ 3.2

2. Executive orders that prohibit employment discrimination apply specifically to federal contractors and subcontractors and require affirmative action programs for some of these employers. Why would these executive orders exists? Do you believe that the US president has the right to require employers to have affirmative action programs?

DQ 3.3

3. Describe the three common methods used in job analysis. List all six components of a job description. List the four important components of describing the tasks and duties in a job description.

DQ 3.4

4. How does job design affect either employee stress or work/life balance? Are certain job design approaches better than others in addressing employees' stress or work/life balance? Why? What organizational or environmental factors might prevent managers from implementing the job design options you noted in the response to the previous question?

DQ 4.1

1.Jackson Electric installs electrical systems in residential and commercial buildings. The company was not started by three brothers four years ago and now has 12 employees. The owners want to expand the company and eventually have locations in several cities around the state. Discuss the role recruitment will play in this growth strategy. What recommendations would you make to the owners about developing a recruitment strategy?

DQ 4.2

2. What is the difference between initial and final selection methods? Why are both needed for most jobs?

DQ 4.3

3. In what ways can a firm's employee selection procedures affect its performance?

DQ 4.4

4. Suppose you are an assistant manager at a five-star luxury hotel, and you have been asked to create a structured behavioral interview for the job of bell captain. What role should your organization's culture play in terms of the interview questions you create? What might be an appropriate question to include?

DQ 5.1

1. Discuss why some companies view training as a value-added activity whereas other companies see it simply as an expense.

DQ 5.2

2. Explain the difference between an organization analysis, a task analysis, and a person analysis. How are the three related? Why should all three types of analyses be conducted to determine a firm's training needs, no matter how large or small the organization?

DQ 5.3

3. What are the two primary purposes of performance management? When should each purpose be emphasized?

DQ 5.4

4. Explain the major steps in progressive and positive discipline procedures. What are the steps included in this procedure?

DQ 6.1

1. Describe three areas in which employee rights and employer responsibilities could result in conflict. How might this conflict arise?

DQ 6.2

2. Discuss why documentation is so important in the disciplinary process. What constitutes correct documentation?

DQ 6.3

3. Contrast the arguments concerning union membership that are likely to be presented by a union with those likely to be presented by an employer.

DQ 6.4

4. Of what significance is the bargaining zone in the conduct of negotiations? What are some influences affected negotiated outcomes?

DQ 7.1

1. Why is compensation so important to employees? What role does it play in their lives? What role does it play for companies? What is a compensation scorecard and how does it help align a company's strategy with its compensation system?

DQ 7.2

2. Why is it important for some jobs in a company to be paid more and some less? Describe how you can ensure that a compensation process is equitable for employees.

DQ 7.3

3. Many organizations are concerned about the rising cost of employee benefits and question their value to the organization and the employees.

a. In your opinion, what benefits are of greatest value to employees? To the organization? Why?

b. What can management do to increase the value to the organization of the benefits provided to employees?

DQ 7.4

4. You are a manager and have been assigned to a task force to consider discontinuing a number of the employee benefits your firm currently offers. What issues should you address in making this decision?

DQ 8

• When OSHA was enacted in 1970, it was heralded as the most important new source of protection for the US worker in the second half of the twentieth century. What is your opinion about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of this act? Should it be expanded, or should businesses have more freedom to determine safety standards for their workers?