Reference no: EM132285195

CompTech is a large retailer of computer products. With 442 stores in the United States and a plan for 70 more stores within two years, CompTech is the fastest growing computer retailer in the United States. The company’s most important strategic objective is to meet customer requirements and expand the customer base into small-business workstations in order to build a long-term relationship. You have been asked to evaluate the hiring process for store managers, to assess problems, and to suggest solutions. CompTech, in competition with the other retailers, has had some difficulty recruiting store managers, and the problem appears to have worsened in recent years. In addition, its turnover rate of store associates is higher than the average in retail although it is offering competitive pay packages. The retailer’s orientation in the past has been to hire experienced store managers from outside the company (approximately 60 percent of store managers are hired from outside the company). However, district managers, responsible for from 8 to 13 stores in a geographical area, are given great discretion in the methods and criteria they use to hire store managers (including job specifications). Historically, based on data from their comprehensive human resource information system (HRIS), the company has, over the years, required store managers who had MBAs when they were hired or at least three years’ experience as store managers with another company. The company has had to employ a costly employment agency to locate managerial candidates along with an expensive advertising/ recruiting campaign, with frequent ads in The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. The problem has become more acute in areas with an abundance of retail outlets where retail store managers are in great and increasing demand. The job description for Store Manager that is copied in Exhibit 4.3.2. There is apparently no job description for the assistant and associate positions. Any opinions regarding the manner in which CompTech is filling managerial positions and any issues related to HRM problems and CompTech’s objectives are welcomed.

1. Which of the following would be considered a job specification for the store manager job?

Plans and directs store operations

Responsible for 8-13 stores in the geographical region

Requires MBA or 3 years of experience

Manages staff, prepares schedules, and assigns duties

2. How should the company start in making a job description for the assistant and associate manager positions?

By checking O*NET

By closely observing each of these positions

By creating a survey

By interviewing all employees in these positions

3. CompTech wants to do a more formal review of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities required for these positions, especially the assistant and associate positions. This is called a:

Job Specification

Job Classification

Job Description

Job Evaluation

4. CompTech should involve employees currently performing the job in the work analysis. These individuals are called:

Job-holders

SMEs

Job incumbents

TDRs

5. If CompTech decided to focus on task specialization and skill simplification, they would be utilizing this approach to job redesign.

Mechanistic

Perceptual-Motor

Biological

Motivational

6. CompTech decided to remove the associate position and give additional responsibility to the assistant manager position. This can be referred to as:

Job Enlargement

Job Rotation

Job Enrichment

Job Engagement

7. CompTech held a meeting with assistant managers to tell them how much impact they have on the store, including the positive comments customers have been leaving about how meaningful it is to have managers help them when needed. This could increase which of the following?

Skill Variety

Task Identity

Autonomy

Task Significance

8. CompTech realizes that long shifts where managers have to be on their feet the whole time are stressful. They physically redesign the job to balance time walking around the store with sitting doing paperwork and other activities. They are likely using this approach to job design to make it more comfortable for employees:

Mechanistic

Psychological

Perceptual-Motor

Biological

9. CompTech sets goals for coordinating activities with outside vendors for managers so they know when they are completing their task well. This is likely an example of a:

KSAO

KPI

TDR

ENV

10. CompTech wants to conduct a quantitative approach to analyze the assistant manager position so they have validity on what to include in the job description. Which of the following would be the best method to utilize for their job analysis?

Surveys

Work Samples

Focus Groups

Observation