Grace Lee's Online Journal http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/ MGMT 250 blog en-us Mon, 11 Dec 2006 01:15:26 EST Mon, 11 Dec 2006 01:15:26 EST grace.s.lee@case.edu grace.s.lee@case.edu http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Movable Type v3.121 Management 250 http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/12/11/management_250 My management 250 professor mentioned how some people can perform certain tasks without needing to consciously think through the process.... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/12/11/management_250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Mon, 11 Dec 2006 01:15:26 EST My management 250 professor mentioned how some people can perform certain tasks without needing to consciously think through the process. This skill would increase productivity, but could it also make people bored. Things like driving or walking a familiar route can be relaxing, but alphabetizing files is pretty uninspiring.

Boredom could appear in a career where the worker doesn’t really care about their job either way. I’m just curious if most people who like their jobs get more satisfaction from tasks when they were unfamiliar with it or after they gained the ability to perform the task without consciously thinking.

]]> Firing an employee http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/12/10/firing_an_employee We discussed the logic behind firing an employee in my management 250 class. Managers need to take into account many... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/12/10/firing_an_employee case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Sun, 10 Dec 2006 21:40:28 EST We discussed the logic behind firing an employee in my management 250 class. Managers need to take into account many different things such as the reasoning for poor employee performance or the employee’s previous performance record.

It’s also important to consider the employee’s reaction to being fired. I’ve never given the immediate consequences of terminating a worker’s job like this before. The professor brought up the practice of escorting fired employees out of the building, which seems like a decent way to prevent disgruntled employees from sending out disruptive computer viruses or stabbing someone with a pen.

]]> Fringe benefits and the HR simulation http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/12/10/fringe_benefits_and_the_hr_simulation The HR simulation could be improved if it let companies know the demographics of their employees. The information would have... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/12/10/fringe_benefits_and_the_hr_simulation case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Sun, 10 Dec 2006 21:13:22 EST The HR simulation could be improved if it let companies know the demographics of their employees. The information would have allowed companies to apply more strategy in their fringe benefit plans. A company could decide design a fringe benefit plan that would benefit the majority of their employees more.

Younger employees would need less health benefits but tuition reimbursements or other bonuses would motivate them to stay with the company. Companies could also change the fringe benefits to attract a certain type of employee that they need. If there were too many new, inexperienced workers, companies could change fringe benefits to target older employees.

]]> class evaluations http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/12/09/class_evaluations The written class evaluation was a nice way to end the management 250 class because it let students practice another... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/12/09/class_evaluations case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Sat, 09 Dec 2006 20:24:37 EST The written class evaluation was a nice way to end the management 250 class because it let students practice another form of feedback. It proved that real organizations use the applications learned in class. Feedback is obviously useful everywhere, but the class evaluation showed that people use written evaluations. Many students use the results of these evaluations to decide if they should take a certain class with a specific teacher. The class evaluations also let students know the helpfulness of feedback.

]]> HR Simulation http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/12/09/hr_simulation The HR simulation has supplied me with many valuable learning experiences, but it still possesses some noticeable faults. The design... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/12/09/hr_simulation case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Sat, 09 Dec 2006 18:44:09 EST The HR simulation has supplied me with many valuable learning experiences, but it still possesses some noticeable faults. The design of a program should be as important as the investment and implementation, but the simulation only judges success on the amount of money spent. It’s nearly impossible to incorporate any creative ideas.

Many businesses value innovation, so the simulation would seem more realistic if it allowed some originality. Fortunately, class discussions and the reading materials make up for some of the shortcomings of the HR simulation.

]]> Goals http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/11/09/goals Today’s exercise in my management 250 class prompted me to think about the difficulties I’ll have writing part two of... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/11/09/goals case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Thu, 09 Nov 2006 17:21:02 EST Today’s exercise in my management 250 class prompted me to think about the difficulties I’ll have writing part two of the learning plan. Most people seemed to have no problem listing 17 future goals, but I ended up writing things like “hug a koala” on about half of the Post-it notes given. Of course I identified the obvious goals involving jobs and internships, but unlike some of my classmates, I had very few personal or lifestyle ambitions.

As indicated by a learning personality test taken earlier in the semester, I dislike set plans. School and work require structure and planning, but I prefer flexibility for most other things. Generally, I don’t care enough about creating my own family or owning a house to set goals. It’s unusually difficult to change nonexistent “dreams into deadlines”.

]]> http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/11/09/12272 Objectivity is crucial to just about every occupation. Jonah Creighton’s case demonstrates the consequences of negative personal influences in the... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/11/09/12272 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Thu, 09 Nov 2006 16:46:13 EST Objectivity is crucial to just about every occupation. Jonah Creighton’s case demonstrates the consequences of negative personal influences in the workplace. Jonah’s strained relationship with his supervisor, Dan, hurts the company’s productivity because both of their jobs require them to work together.

No one can completely separate personal feelings from work, but Dan shouldn’t have lowered Jonah’s performance appraisal without good reason. The class discussion mentioned the importance of objectivity with feedback, but it’s also an important characteristic to for work in general.

]]> http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/11/09/12270 It’s hard to provide negative constructive feedback to a sensitive and unresponsive manager. The management 250 class discussion provided many... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/11/09/12270 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Thu, 09 Nov 2006 16:27:14 EST It’s hard to provide negative constructive feedback to a sensitive and unresponsive manager. The management 250 class discussion provided many ways to handle the situation, but each method requires sound judgment and timing. Involving the manager’s boss could anger or upset the manager and further disrupt the work environment. The strong minded manager plays the part of a hypothetical “big kid” on the playground and the bully never treats the tattletale too nicely.

The context and wording of a piece of feedback makes all the difference. As with many things, good communication lies at the base of success.

]]> http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/11/07/12183 The exercises and tips presented in my management 250 class have greatly improved my ability to gracefully emphasize my strong... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/11/07/12183 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 07 Nov 2006 23:47:49 EST The exercises and tips presented in my management 250 class have greatly improved my ability to gracefully emphasize my strong points. Before this class, identifying a personal strength meant staring at a blank space and thinking of a smooth way to walk away.

Part one of the learning plan forced me to discover and label my strengths and weaknesses, so I now possess an entire list of strengths. The learning style tests encouraged exploration of personality and the paper organized the information. Management 250 has become one of the most constructively helpful classes I’ve taken.

]]> Stress http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/11/06/stress Countless sources supply information on stress management, but so many people still struggle with this problem. The authors of The... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/11/06/stress case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Mon, 06 Nov 2006 23:02:49 EST Countless sources supply information on stress management, but so many people still struggle with this problem. The authors of The Human Challenge offer a few useful tips like finishing one job before starting the next, but some other pieces of advice seem almost unrealistic and clichéd.

The reason most people get stressed out is because they have trouble brushing off or laughing at a situation. Telling me to laugh at situations I normally get upset at probably won’t erase all feelings of irritation. The text only offered very broad answers and few examples concrete steps. The Human Challenge gave good but old advice to a complex, difficult problem.

]]> Diversity of Fribley http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/10/13/diversity_of_fribley I can’t help but notice the diversity in Fribley after reviewing how our company for the HR simulation critically lacks... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/10/13/diversity_of_fribley case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Fri, 13 Oct 2006 19:31:48 EST I can’t help but notice the diversity in Fribley after reviewing how our company for the HR simulation critically lacks minority workers. An overwhelming percentage of minorities work in the lowest levels of service, but very few occupy higher levels of management in the dining area. Using logic from the HR simulation, changing this disproportioned ratio can possibly improve morale. The system at Fribley seems to function, but it seems to clash with the tips discussed in class. Few things demonstate the importance of motivation better than the situation at Fribley.

]]> Poor Morale at Fribley http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/10/13/poor_morale_at_fribley The dining hall has always offered unpredictable service, but only recently has the HR simulation project increased my awareness towards... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/10/13/poor_morale_at_fribley case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Fri, 13 Oct 2006 19:13:19 EST The dining hall has always offered unpredictable service, but only recently has the HR simulation project increased my awareness towards morale problems in Fribley. While waiting in line for stir-fry, I overheard employees grumbling about their lack of motivation and criticizing the work hours and environment. I don’t have enough facts, so it’s near impossible to analyze the reasons for the rampant employee apathy. I’ve noticed that it’s more prevalent at jobs requiring lower skill levels, but not always. Textbooks give the usual examples for low morale, like low wages or poor direction, but even perfectly managed companies have problems similar to Fribley’s.

]]> Preparation for an Interview http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/10/12/preparation_for_an_interview I wish I could fall out of bed and conduct an amazing interview, but reality works differently and preparation is... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/10/12/preparation_for_an_interview case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Thu, 12 Oct 2006 21:18:30 EST I wish I could fall out of bed and conduct an amazing interview, but reality works differently and preparation is needed. Humans quickly form initial impressions from looks, so dress cleanly and professionally because no one wants to hire a rumpled incompetent. Researching the company could help answer why you want a certain job or warn you of the type of interview they generally conduct. Knowledge boosts confidence, so knowing a moderate amount of information about a company can decrease anxiety.

Interviewers ask many questions about you, so mentally analyze and gather basic but unique facts about your strengths, weaknesses, and uncommon skills. Practice answering questions commonly asked at interviews so you can know yourself better and act comfortable and confident "selling" your assets.

]]> The skill I should improve http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/10/02/the_skill_i_should_improve I'd like to develop my interviewing skills. Walking into a formal interview scares me more than Santa Clause would wearing... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/10/02/the_skill_i_should_improve case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Mon, 02 Oct 2006 21:07:19 EST I'd like to develop my interviewing skills. Walking into a formal interview scares me more than Santa Clause would wearing pantyhose. Fate has handed me strings of answerable questions during a few interviews in the past, but that only happens about one out of three times. For the most part, I spew out horribly worded improvisations that make interviewers run to shred and burn my resume.

I have confidence that mock interviews and career fairs will help me learn to consistently construct viable answers. The career center even provided a mnemonic device I can use to form better replies, and there's nothing better than mneumonics. Not even the hideously inappropriate website someone decided to post as a comment on my previous blog.

]]> Diversity in Business http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/09/14/diversity_in_business Diversity can help a business achieve greatness. A team of contrasting minds will devise creative solutions that a group... http://blog.case.edu/grace.s.lee/2006/09/14/diversity_in_business case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:58:04 EST Diversity can help a business achieve greatness. A team of contrasting minds will devise creative solutions that a group of closely similar people won’t realize. Many use their past experiences to help solve problems, and a varied assortment of people will have more different experiences to draw from.

Diversity includes more than racial or sexual distinction. It’s not justified to force a company to hire a certain number of minorities. We’re called minorities for a reason. There are less of us. Laws should require businesses to hire some minorities to ensure a degree of equality, but there shouldn’t be a set quota.

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