What is the central problem at the case of Job Design in Pepperdine University?

CHAPTER 6 Diagnosing Groups and Jobs 117 and, in addition, provide administrative support to compensation for the increased responsibilities and two PKE classes from their initial class to gradua- a title change. The new position would share, with tion. The duties of administrating the PKE program the EMBA program administrator, the supervision would be similar in nature to the delivery aspects of an assistant program administrator, who would of the MSOD program, including working with in turn supervise a pool of administrative assist- faculty to support their teaching efforts, manag- ants. The assistant program administrator would ing textbook ordering processes, and providing also report to the EMBA Program Administrator. different facilities logistics activities. It would not The MSOD/PKE program administrator would be include marketing, recruiting, and alumni devel- shared between the MSOD program director and a opment activities. He would receive additional director of EMBA/PKE programs.Job Design at Pepperdine University The Graziadio School of Business and Management up eligible graduates with prospective employers (GSBM) at Pepperdine University is one of the who called looking for MSOD talent, provided largest business schools in the country and has the career guidance, and worked with the program's third largest part-time MBA program. The school alumni organization to sponsor conferences and also provides graduate education aimed at differ- other alumni activities. ent markets including an executive MBA (EMBA), a presidential/key executive MBA (PKE), and a Each of the above activities was somewhat program- mable in that they occurred at specific times of the application 6.2 specialized master's degree in organization devel- opment (MSOD). The MSOD program's curriculum year and could be scheduled. However, because consists of 10 four-unit classes over 22 months. each applicant, student, class, or graduate was Eight of the classes are conducted off-site during somewhat unique, the specific tasks or actions eight-day sessions at both domestic and interna- could not always be specified in advance and there tional locations. The MSOD program office consists were a number of exceptions and unique situations of a faculty director, a program administrator, and that arose during each day, month, or year. an administrative assistant. In response to cost-cut- The MSOD Program Administrator has worked ting initiatives at the university level, a proposal with the MSOD program for over 15 years and was being considered to alter the job designs of the was a fixture in both the MSOD and the general MSOD program staff. OD communities. Year over year, the Program The MSOD Program Administrator, the focus of Administrator delivered qualified applicants in this application, was responsible for marketing and excess of available space although that task had recruiting new students, managing the delivery become increasingly difficult in the face of tui- logistics of the off-site program, managing the stu- tion increases, increasingly restrictive corporate dents' registration and financial relationships with policies on tuition reimbursement, and the ups the university, and maintaining relationships with and downs of the economy. He has handled both the MSOD alumni. The marketing and recruiting routine and nonroutine administrative details duties involved working with the Program Director professionally, displays and reports a high level of and the Director of Marketing for GSBM to develop job satisfaction and commitment to the program, marketing tactics including advertisements, bro- and has been complimented formally and infor- chures, conference marketing and support, and mally by the students in the program. In fact, each other market development activities. The recruit- cohort develops its own relationship with the ing process involved explaining the curriculum to administrator and he becomes a de facto member prospective applicants, overseeing the application of almost every class. The alumni considered the process for each applicant, working with the fac- Program Administrator a key and integral part of ulty to have qualified applicants interviewed, and the MSOD program. The set of duties described managing the admissions process. This too had to above has evolved considerably over the Program be coordinated with the director and the admin- Administrator's tenure. In particular, he has istrative assistant. Once a class was admitted, the become more involved and responsible for mar- Program Administrator worked with various off- keting and recruiting activities, and the alumni site facilities to establish room and board rates and relations duties have been added in response to catering services; managed the faculty's travel and alumni requests that cannot be filled by tradi- teaching requirements; managed various interses- tional university departments. sion activities including the final exam; managed In an effort to improve efficiencies, and in the students' enrollment and graduation proc- recognition of the MSOD Program Administrator's esses including their interface with the university's outstanding productivity, a proposal was being registrar and finance office and the school's financial considered by GSBM administration to change aid office; and coached students through the pro- the design of his job. The proposal suggested that gram. After graduation, the Program Administrator the MSOD Program Administrator continue to served as an unofficial placement service, hooking perform all of the current duties of the position