Reference no: EM131221880

Part 1:

1. Integration and Application. Read the case at the end of this book regarding Southwest Airlines. Then, using Exhibit 1.1 as a guide, make a summary that identifies the stakeholders and shows the relative importance of each stakeholder to each company.

1. Integration and Application.

b. Describe the relevance of the following possible events for Southwest Airlines' approach to managing human resources:

The U.S. unemployment rate declines, putting more pressure on wages.

A change in the tax law makes it more difficult for business travelers to treat airfare as a deductible expense.

A new agreement creates a regional trade zone that covers all of the Americas, and business travel throughout the region skyrockets.

1. Integration and Application.

a. What evidence exists to demonstrate that Southwest Airlines manages its employees fairlyand legally?

b. Are there company practices at Southwest Airlines that youwould consider to be unfair? If so, which ones? Why?

Part 2:

Write a paper including the following components:

A discussion of the employer's ideal plan, including reasoning for each selected component.

A discussion of the employee's ideal plan, including reasoning for each selected component.

Part 3

Read and refer to "Case Study: Revising Job Descriptions" on pages 181-184 of your text. Then complete the following assignment:
Respond in writing to Case Questions 1-3 on page 184.

1. Based on what you know about high-tech companies, what are some likely strategic objectives for HITEK? Given these, what should be the objectives of HITEK'S HR department? Do you think these are the objectives that guide the behaviors of Isabel Rains? Explain.

2. Jobs change frequently at HITEK. What approach to job analysis makes the most sense in such a fast-changing environment? Customized? Standardized? Task-focused? Competency modeling? Evaluate the strengths and weakness of the alternative approaches and make recommendations for how Jennifer should proceed.

3. Is the new job description (Case Exhibit 5.4) better than the old one (Case Exhibit 5.3)? Why, or why not? Consider the perspective of employees as well as that of the person supervising this job. Does your answer change depending on the way the job description is being used?

Answer the following question: If you were in Jennifer's position, which strategies would you employ to gather information and standardize the approach of job analysis and competency modeling at HITEK? Why?

Part 4

Refer to your selected integrative case as you complete the following:

Write a one-page response to "Projects to Extend Your Learning" Questions 1.a.-1.e. on page 262. Review the end-of-text case of Southwest Airlines. Describe and evaluate the selection procedures used. In preparing your answer, consider the following issues:

a. The objectives of the selection process.

b. The criteria used.

c. The techniques used to assess the competencies of job applicants.

d. The apparent effectiveness of the selection process.

e. The roles and responsibilities of line managers, HR professionals, and other employees

Write a half-page response to "Projects to Extend Your Learning" Questions 1.a. and 1.b. on page 307. Review the cases of Southwest Airlines at the end of this book.

a. Company is training and development

b. Describe how the training and development activitiesare related to other HR activities.

Write a one-page response to "Projects to Extend Your Learning" Questions 1.a.-1.c. on page 347. Review the case of Southwest Airlines at the end of this book. Then, answer the following questions:

a. Discuss Southwest Airlines with respect to the major purposes of performance measurement and feedback. Why does thisorganization seems to be more concerned with traits? With behavior? With results? What uses does performance measurement serve in this companies?

c. Discuss the sources of performance information used at Southwest Airlines. Would you recommend that this organizations use 360-degree appraisals? Why, or why not?

Write a one-page response to "Projects to Extend Your Learning" Questions 1.a. and 1.b. on page 391

1. Review the case of Southwest Airlines at the end of this book. Then, answer the following questions.

a. Discuss the following:

The objectives of their total compensation practices.

The role of total compensation in achieving a competitive advantage.

The pay mix and employee's reactions to the pay mix.

b. Which approach to compensating employees would you prefer? Why?