MGT 251 Final Project The goal of this project is to evaluate your ability to apply concepts of human relations in business to a work environment. A successful final project will demonstrate that you understand and can apply the concepts that you learned to the work scenarios. Remember that this project is worth 200 points. This is a significant percentage of your grade. Instruction: Below are five work-related scenarios (listed below as A-E) to which you will apply what you have learned in the course. Each scenario has two situations (1 and 2). You are required to choose three of the scenarios and answer both of the situations in the scenarios you choose. The scenarios and situations have basic information, so you will have to make some assumptions in order to address the issues you choose. Identify your assumptions clearly within your paper so that your instructor knows why you are making the decisions that you are making and drawing the conclusions that you are drawing. Use the outline below to address the staff issues. Each staff issue should be at least a page in length. Outline to Address Each Work Scenario Question: 1. Identify the current problems and the possible reasons for the problems. (Use the background information and your assumptions about the situations to make your conclusions. Describe the assumptions that you make.) 2. How does the staff issue affect the company? What specifically is happening as a result of the issue? Why is it bad for the company? 3. Identify three organizational concepts that you will use to resolve the issue. Identify each organizational concept and explain how it will affect the issue. Explain how you would apply the concept to improve the situation. Scenarios: Select three from the five listed and then address all of the questions associated with the scenarios that you choose. A. You are the Sales Division Supervisor for XYZ Company. As a middle manager for XYZ, you supervise a team of six sales representatives. The team consists of both men and women representing diverse backgrounds. Given this basic information, address the scenarios below. 1. One of your sales representatives speaks with a heavy accent. A few of her coworkers have mentioned that they have a hard time understanding what she is saying. Another sales representative, who has a physical disability, complained to you that some of his co-workers make \"comments\" about his disability. He doesn't want to cause problems with his co-workers, but he does not appreciate the \"comments\". 2. During a staff meeting, the sales representatives are very upset because they are receiving phone calls from their account buyers saying the product is taking a long time to arrive. Your sales representatives blame the product distribution unit staff. The Sales Unit and Production Unit have a history of conflict and not getting along. A new Production Unit Supervisor was just hired. B. You have worked for a product-testing company for three years. You were recently notified that the company will start using live animals to test a new product's safety. The animals will be used only for this one product. This company has never used animals before to test new products 1. You are a product-testing supervisor. You do not believe that animals should be used to test products. The use of animals goes against your values. You decide to approach the executive management regarding the decision to use live animals. How could you handle this situation? (Incorporate leadership, communication and societal responsibilities in the answer.) 2. You are the President of the product-testing company. The company just received a large contract to test a medical product that could potentially save numerous lives if the tests prove successful. You understand that some of your employees may not feel comfortable using live animals to test the product, but this is a potential medical breakthrough and will provide the company with financial stability for several years. This is important, as the company has been struggling during the recession. As the President, you must present to staff the importance of this contract and the need for everyone to make this contract successful. How will you do this? C. You have worked for a family-owned and operated flooring company for 15 years. Everyone works well together, and you consider many of the staff members to be personal friends. 1. Katherine, the owner of the company, just called you into her office to let you know that the business has been sold to a large flooring corporation. Due to the sale of the company, reorganization will occur, causing a few employees to lose their jobs, and medical benefits will decrease, but vacation accrual will increase at a faster rate. Katherine has asked your opinion on how to communicate this change of ownership in a positive way that keeps morale from being seriously impacted. 2. The company has announced that it has been sold to a large flooring company. Soon after the announcement, one of your coworkers started showing signs of stress. You both work with heavy equipment. He has been absent more; he drinks alcohol more than usual, including having some during the lunch hour; and you think he may be using prescription medicine that does not belong to him. How should you handle this situation? D. Congratulations! You just started your own company. The company employs 20 people. The goal of your company is to manufacture, distribute and sell snowboarding protection equipment. You are excited about this new adventure. 1. While attending a \"new company owner\" workshop, one of the speakers discussed how applying \"Total Quality Management\" concepts to your business can significantly improve your chances of success. You would like to explore this idea more. What aspects of TQM would you consider, and how (and why) would you apply them to your company? 2. As a new owner of a company you are excited to develop a strong company commitment to your employees. You are considering many different ideas to ensure that morale is high, employees enjoy a quality of work life, and communication flows throughout the organization. What will you do, and why will you do it to ensure that this happens? E. Rex, a manufacturing supervisor, is tired of what he perceives as constant \"goofing off\" by one of his union employees. Rather than going to the employee to discuss it, he tells another employee about his perception of the employee's behavior. Of course, word gets back to the union employee. The employee takes the first opportunity to file a grievance against Rex for a minor shortcoming (Rex helped a production union employee do something that should be done by another manufacturing union employee). In addition, at the next evaluation period a poor mark on two sections sends the employee into a rage. 1. Rex is a supervisor. As a supervisor, he has certain job responsibilities to fulfill. What characteristics or skills does Rex need to develop to handle this situation appropriately? 2. You are the human resource officer for this company. Rex has asked you for guidance on how to handle the situation. It appears to have gotten out of hand. What advice would you provide on communication, employee performance and the discipline process? Important This project is worth 200 points. Be thorough with your answers. Review the scoring matrix below to ensure that your answers reflect the highest points in each criterion. You will receive more points if you address a variety of different management concepts. In other words, do not use the same organizational concepts for each answer. Remember to consider the steps for decision-making as you think through each of the issues. Use your textbook, Web research, and experiences to discuss the topics. Provide examples when addressing issues. Remember to cite the sources that are used and use your own words! You must use at least two resources (one of which would be your textbook) for each issue to support your decisions. Incorporate the course key terms and concepts and provide examples from your organization or past work experience when appropriate. This demonstrates to the instructor that you thoroughly understand the key terms and concepts. Work off-line, using your word processing program. Make sure you carefully edit the paper for grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and word usage as well as content. When you have completed your final project, save a copy and then copy and paste it within the submit box at the end of Lesson 13. Copy your work by simultaneously holding down the "Ctrl" and "A" keys to select the text and then simultaneously holding down the "Ctrl" and "C" keys to copy it. Then, click on the link below to open up the online submit form for the assessment. Paste your document into the online submit form by inserting your cursor in the submit box and simultaneously holding down the "Ctrl" and "V" keys. Grading Matrix: Percent of Grade (Weight) Criterion Demonstrates No understanding understanding to incorrect of the issues understanding Correct understanding with insufficient supporting rationale Correct understanding with sufficient supporting rationale Correct understanding with excellent supporting rationale Suggests logical problemsolving solutions Solutions not suggested Solutions are suggested, but problemsolving logic is flawed. Solutions are logical. Alternative logical solutions are suggested. Applies key course concepts and terms to support solutions and conclusions Key course concepts and terms not applied or applied incorrectly Key course concepts and terms applied incorrectly or seldom applied correctly Key course concepts and terms applied sufficiently throughout answers Key course concepts and terms applied correctly and exceptionally well throughout answers Format, grammar, sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation Ineffective introduction, body, or conclusion; gross grammar, sentence structure, spelling, or punctuation errors Appropriate introduction, body, and conclusion; frequent grammar, sentence structure, spelling, or punctuation errors Appropriate introduction, body, and conclusion; few grammar, sentence structure, spelling, or punctuation errors Excellent introduction, body, and conclusion; no grammar, sentence structure, spelling, or punctuation errors Total 30% 25% 30% 15% 100% MGT 251 Final Project The goal of this project is to evaluate your ability to apply concepts of human relations in business to a work environment. A successful final project will demonstrate that you understand and can apply the concepts that you learned to the work scenarios. Remember that this project is worth 200 points. This is a significant percentage of your grade. Instruction: Below are five work-related scenarios (listed below as A-E) to which you will apply what you have learned in the course. Each scenario has two situations (1 and 2). You are required to choose three of the scenarios and answer both of the situations in the scenarios you choose. The scenarios and situations have basic information, so you will have to make some assumptions in order to address the issues you choose. Identify your assumptions clearly within your paper so that your instructor knows why you are making the decisions that you are making and drawing the conclusions that you are drawing. Use the outline below to address the staff issues. Each staff issue should be at least a page in length. Outline to Address Each Work Scenario Question: 1. Identify the current problems and the possible reasons for the problems. (Use the background information and your assumptions about the situations to make your conclusions. Describe the assumptions that you make.) 2. How does the staff issue affect the company? What specifically is happening as a result of the issue? Why is it bad for the company? 3. Identify three organizational concepts that you will use to resolve the issue. Identify each organizational concept and explain how it will affect the issue. Explain how you would apply the concept to improve the situation. Scenarios: Select three from the five listed and then address all of the questions associated with the scenarios that you choose. A. You are the Sales Division Supervisor for XYZ Company. As a middle manager for XYZ, you supervise a team of six sales representatives. The team consists of both men and women representing diverse backgrounds. Given this basic information, address the scenarios below. 1. One of your sales representatives speaks with a heavy accent. A few of her coworkers have mentioned that they have a hard time understanding what she is saying. Another sales representative, who has a physical disability, complained to you that some of his co-workers make \"comments\" about his disability. He doesn't want to cause problems with his co-workers, but he does not appreciate the \"comments\". 2. During a staff meeting, the sales representatives are very upset because they are receiving phone calls from their account buyers saying the product is taking a long time to arrive. Your sales representatives blame the product distribution unit staff. The Sales Unit and Production Unit have a history of conflict and not getting along. A new Production Unit Supervisor was just hired. B. You have worked for a product-testing company for three years. You were recently notified that the company will start using live animals to test a new product's safety. The animals will be used only for this one product. This company has never used animals before to test new products 1. You are a product-testing supervisor. You do not believe that animals should be used to test products. The use of animals goes against your values. You decide to approach the executive management regarding the decision to use live animals. How could you handle this situation? (Incorporate leadership, communication and societal responsibilities in the answer.) 2. You are the President of the product-testing company. The company just received a large contract to test a medical product that could potentially save numerous lives if the tests prove successful. You understand that some of your employees may not feel comfortable using live animals to test the product, but this is a potential medical breakthrough and will provide the company with financial stability for several years. This is important, as the company has been struggling during the recession. As the President, you must present to staff the importance of this contract and the need for everyone to make this contract successful. How will you do this? C. You have worked for a family-owned and operated flooring company for 15 years. Everyone works well together, and you consider many of the staff members to be personal friends. 1. Katherine, the owner of the company, just called you into her office to let you know that the business has been sold to a large flooring corporation. Due to the sale of the company, reorganization will occur, causing a few employees to lose their jobs, and medical benefits will decrease, but vacation accrual will increase at a faster rate. Katherine has asked your opinion on how to communicate this change of ownership in a positive way that keeps morale from being seriously impacted. 2. The company has announced that it has been sold to a large flooring company. Soon after the announcement, one of your coworkers started showing signs of stress. You both work with heavy equipment. He has been absent more; he drinks alcohol more than usual, including having some during the lunch hour; and you think he may be using prescription medicine that does not belong to him. How should you handle this situation? D. Congratulations! You just started your own company. The company employs 20 people. The goal of your company is to manufacture, distribute and sell snowboarding protection equipment. You are excited about this new adventure. 1. While attending a \"new company owner\" workshop, one of the speakers discussed how applying \"Total Quality Management\" concepts to your business can significantly improve your chances of success. You would like to explore this idea more. What aspects of TQM would you consider, and how (and why) would you apply them to your company? 2. As a new owner of a company you are excited to develop a strong company commitment to your employees. You are considering many different ideas to ensure that morale is high, employees enjoy a quality of work life, and communication flows throughout the organization. What will you do, and why will you do it to ensure that this happens? E. Rex, a manufacturing supervisor, is tired of what he perceives as constant \"goofing off\" by one of his union employees. Rather than going to the employee to discuss it, he tells another employee about his perception of the employee's behavior. Of course, word gets back to the union employee. The employee takes the first opportunity to file a grievance against Rex for a minor shortcoming (Rex helped a production union employee do something that should be done by another manufacturing union employee). In addition, at the next evaluation period a poor mark on two sections sends the employee into a rage. 1. Rex is a supervisor. As a supervisor, he has certain job responsibilities to fulfill. What characteristics or skills does Rex need to develop to handle this situation appropriately? 2. You are the human resource officer for this company. Rex has asked you for guidance on how to handle the situation. It appears to have gotten out of hand. What advice would you provide on communication, employee performance and the discipline process? Important This project is worth 200 points. Be thorough with your answers. Review the scoring matrix below to ensure that your answers reflect the highest points in each criterion. You will receive more points if you address a variety of different management concepts. In other words, do not use the same organizational concepts for each answer. Remember to consider the steps for decision-making as you think through each of the issues. Use your textbook, Web research, and experiences to discuss the topics. Provide examples when addressing issues. Remember to cite the sources that are used and use your own words! You must use at least two resources (one of which would be your textbook) for each issue to support your decisions. Incorporate the course key terms and concepts and provide examples from your organization or past work experience when appropriate. This demonstrates to the instructor that you thoroughly understand the key terms and concepts. Work off-line, using your word processing program. Make sure you carefully edit the paper for grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and word usage as well as content. When you have completed your final project, save a copy and then copy and paste it within the submit box at the end of Lesson 13. Copy your work by simultaneously holding down the "Ctrl" and "A" keys to select the text and then simultaneously holding down the "Ctrl" and "C" keys to copy it. Then, click on the link below to open up the online submit form for the assessment. Paste your document into the online submit form by inserting your cursor in the submit box and simultaneously holding down the "Ctrl" and "V" keys. Grading Matrix: Percent of Grade (Weight) Criterion Demonstrates No understanding understanding to incorrect of the issues understanding Correct understanding with insufficient supporting rationale Correct understanding with sufficient supporting rationale Correct understanding with excellent supporting rationale Suggests logical problemsolving solutions Solutions not suggested Solutions are suggested, but problemsolving logic is flawed. Solutions are logical. Alternative logical solutions are suggested. Applies key course concepts and terms to support solutions and conclusions Key course concepts and terms not applied or applied incorrectly Key course concepts and terms applied incorrectly or seldom applied correctly Key course concepts and terms applied sufficiently throughout answers Key course concepts and terms applied correctly and exceptionally well throughout answers Format, grammar, sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation Ineffective introduction, body, or conclusion; gross grammar, sentence structure, spelling, or punctuation errors Appropriate introduction, body, and conclusion; frequent grammar, sentence structure, spelling, or punctuation errors Appropriate introduction, body, and conclusion; few grammar, sentence structure, spelling, or punctuation errors Excellent introduction, body, and conclusion; no grammar, sentence structure, spelling, or punctuation errors Total 30% 25% 30% 15% 100%