Q1.

1) Explain how one artifact from either Zappos or Veridian Dynamics demonstrates a dimension of that organization's culture. (Pay attention to the definitions in the lecture notes.)

-Refer to the Job Characteristics Model (video lecture: A Motivating Environment) and the jobs described here to answer the rest of the questions: JCM Examples. Each answer should refer to one of the 5 job dimensions in the JCM.

JCM Examples

For each of the jobs below, imagine that you are the manager. The person in that job was a top performer last year, but recently they have been doing just enough work to stay out of trouble. Before talking to each employee, you review the job design to look for de-motivating elements.

Evaluate each job in terms of the Job Characteristics Model.

What are the MOST motivating aspects of this job?

What are the LEAST motivating aspects of this job?

How could you redesign the job to make it more motivating?

Auto Mechanic

Works for an Audi dealership, so they always work on Audis and see the same kinds of problems consistently. They have a few years of experience; so, they almost always know how to fix a problem right away. Part of the job is testing each car after the repair to make sure the problem has been fixed. They only hand the car off to the owner when they know they have resolved the problem.

Ivars Salmon House Sous Chef

They are responsible for ordering, setting schedules for line cooks and dishwashers, supervising dinner service. Most of the tasks are routine and they are good at them. They know that they have an important role and that performing these tasks is essential for the restaurant to survive. They create a new special each week, but it must feature salmon and be limited to a narrow range of ingredients that tourists are known to like.

Paramedic

They respond to emergency calls and perform life-saving interventions to people with all kinds of injuries and illnesses. They ride in the ambulance and administer CPR, pain management, and other kinds of first aid on the way to the ER. After they deliver the patient to the ER, they move on to the next call. They almost never hear how their patients are doing or even if they survive.

2) Use the JCM to describe how one aspect of the Auto Mechanic job is demotivating.

3) Use the JCM to describe how one aspect of the Ivar's Salmon House Sous Chef job is demotivating.

4) Use the JCM to describe how one aspect of the Paramedic job is demotivating.