Naizhou Zhang's Online Journal http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/ My Thoughts on the Discourse en-us Tue, 12 Dec 2006 23:28:21 EST Tue, 12 Dec 2006 23:28:21 EST naizhou.zhang@case.edu naizhou.zhang@case.edu http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Movable Type v3.121 Disciplinary Action http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/12/12/disciplinary_action Disciplinary action is one method to deal with the infraction of rules or company violations. Some ways to avoid disciplinary... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/12/12/disciplinary_action MGMT 250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 12 Dec 2006 23:28:21 EST Disciplinary action is one method to deal with the infraction of rules or company violations. Some ways to avoid disciplinary action is to start with smart hiring by using background checks and previous employer checkups. Other techniques such as performance appraisals and training and development would lessen the resort the need for disciplinary action. Lastly, by adding rewards to good performance, it will diminish the incentive to break company policies. It is often a hard role to enforce rules to fellow co-workers. But when you are in a leadership role, it is necessary to set those rules.

]]> High turnovers http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/12/12/high_turnovers In a recent article, a survey finds that 73 percent of executives are dissatisfied with their jobs. This could lead... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/12/12/high_turnovers MGMT 250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 12 Dec 2006 23:06:11 EST In a recent article, a survey finds that 73 percent of executives are dissatisfied with their jobs. This could lead to more turnover at the top corporate positions. So what is making these executives so dissatisfied? One of the things was that it was hard for executives to work with their co-workers due to the lack of teamwork. Another component in the lack of satisfaction in the work place is the stress of meeting production goals. After reading the article, I was left with a sense of whether I would be happy with my job.

]]> Improvement in Organizations http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/12/12/improvement_in_organizations Today's corporation is vastly different than the past. In past organizations, it was hierarchical, the company sees people as variable... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/12/12/improvement_in_organizations MGMT 250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 12 Dec 2006 22:56:15 EST Today's corporation is vastly different than the past. In past organizations, it was hierarchical, the company sees people as variable cost, and it was mostly centralized planning and decision-making. But in the new corporate world, there is still centralized planning process and also decentralized decision making. There is more focus on customer orientation. Is it possible that we will see another form of corporation emerging in the future?

]]> Sex Discrimination http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/12/12/sex_discrimination In Tucker, there was a section about sex discrimination. This is an important subject to discuss in the human management.... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/12/12/sex_discrimination MGMT 250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 12 Dec 2006 22:27:44 EST In Tucker, there was a section about sex discrimination. This is an important subject to discuss in the human management. It is also very personal because I am a woman in the business world. Would I be judged by my sex when I apply for future positions? Recently, there was an article called 50 top women to watch. While reading though the list, I was pleasantly surprised that there was a wide diversity of women who made the top 50. The world of business has changed over the years. Fifty years ago, the number of women in high corporate positions was minimal. Today, you can find female CEOs for Pepsico and Kraft Foods. This makes me feel better about my perspective future.

]]> Pay for Time Not Worked http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/12/12/pay_for_time_not_worked Common time-off-with-pay benefits include holidays, vacations, sick leave, etc. Supplemental pay benefits are typically one of the employer’s most expensive... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/12/12/pay_for_time_not_worked MGMT 250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 12 Dec 2006 22:26:01 EST Common time-off-with-pay benefits include holidays, vacations, sick leave, etc. Supplemental pay benefits are typically one of the employer’s most expensive benefits because it is pay for time not worked. So why do employers implement this type of plan? I think that it is because time-off-with-pay benefits show employee appreciation. It is crucial for employers and employees to build a good relationship. This type of benefit not only builds relationships but also help increase production and company loyalty. It would be unwise for any company to cancel this kind of plan.

]]> Issue 2 http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/11/10/issue_2 A few days ago, Ohio along with several other states decided to raise minium wage from $5.15 to $6.85 per... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/11/10/issue_2 MGMT 250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Fri, 10 Nov 2006 11:28:22 EST A few days ago, Ohio along with several other states decided to raise minium wage from $5.15 to $6.85 per hour. I was very pleased that Issue 2 was passed because raising the minimum wage would increase the buying power of low income people. It would also help increasing tax revenues and help the economy. Due to the $5.15 wage, people who earn minium wage could not afford items such as health care and gasoline. But with more money in their pockets, they are able to obtain personal needs. I think that increasing the wages is similar to promotions within a coporation. In Tucker chapter 9, the book described a promotion as "more learning" and "more development". With more money earned, minium wage wokers have a better chance to use their income in a better education (more learning) and better their personal life (more development).

]]> Freakonomics http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/11/03/freakonomics Lately, I have been reading “Freakonomics” by Levitt and Dubner. There was an interesting story about how economists wanted to... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/11/03/freakonomics MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:35:16 EST Lately, I have been reading “Freakonomics” by Levitt and Dubner. There was an interesting story about how economists wanted to test how parents respond to a fee when they are late picking their children up from daycare. This study lasted twenty weeks, but the fine was not introduced until the fifth week. During the first five weeks, there was an average of eight late pickups. But after the fifth week, when the fine was announced, the late pickups went up to an average of twenty. You would think that a fine would be an incentive to pick up your child on time. When the economists eliminated the fine on the seventh week, the number of late pickups remained the same. The reason that the economists came up with is that when the parents pay the late fine, they feel no quilt when they don’t pick up their kids on time. This only shows that business and other fields such as psychology are more intertwined than most of us think. In the example that I just discussed, we see evidence of things working against logic. I am sure that most of us would have thought that introducing fines would decrease the late pick-ups instead of the opposite. This could also be incorporated in the management department. For example, in "The Strategy That Wouldn't Travel", the SPITS program worked well in the Wichita plant but back fired at the Lubbock plant. Why didn't work? Perphaps this could be explained in the field of psychology.

]]> Surviving Stress http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/11/03/surviving_stress I found Tucker’s section of surviving stress very useful. I am sure that most of us have to deal with... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/11/03/surviving_stress MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:34:22 EST I found Tucker’s section of surviving stress very useful. I am sure that most of us have to deal with stress every day. I think that this is more likely the further we progress into the work field. Some of the tips were don’t fight tension, tackle one thing at a time, laugh at yourself, and take control at your own rate. I found some other tactics that could be used to take care of stress. Things like, take yourself out of the stressful environment, meditation, and take a walk or a break.

]]> Ch. 5 Tucker http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/11/03/ch_5_tucker In Chapter 5 of Tucker, the book talked about creativity and innovation. I believe that these two subjects are very... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/11/03/ch_5_tucker MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:31:00 EST In Chapter 5 of Tucker, the book talked about creativity and innovation. I believe that these two subjects are very important in today’s business world. Without creativity or innovation, we would not have cell phones or computers. It also takes innovation to push technology that we already have. If we stopped at just having computers, then we wouldn’t have the Internet or create a new kind of communication resource. Creativity and innovation does not only pertain to technology. We also apply new techniques in managing companies. In today's global market, managers have to incorporate new skills in order to communicate and administrate its international counterparts. What are some of other innovation that we have seen in the past 5 years?

]]> Jonah Creighton Case Study http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/11/03/jonah_creighton_case_study In the Jonah Creighton case study, one of the questions that we were asked to answer was how Creighton undermined... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/11/03/jonah_creighton_case_study MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:18:48 EST In the Jonah Creighton case study, one of the questions that we were asked to answer was how Creighton undermined Dan Newell. In my opinion, I do not think that Jonah did anything wrong. In the subject of racial discrimination, was it unjust that Creighton pressed to resolve such problems or was Newell right to say that it was ‘nothing’? If Jonah did not proceed to voice his opinion, then his is stating that “yes, racial discrimination is okay”. I can’t believe anyone could justify Newell for being offended by Creighton’s actions.

]]> Recalls http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/10/13/recalls I'm sure that all of us had experience with product recalls right? I never purchased a recalled product before but... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/10/13/recalls MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:45:43 EST I'm sure that all of us had experience with product recalls right? I never purchased a recalled product before but last week, I discovered that all the images on the t-shirts from my apparel company tend to wash off! Thankfully, there wasn't a lot of them so we didn't loose a lot of money. This event made me think about product recall for larger companies and for their customer image. I am also thankful that for us, none of those shirts were sold yet. From now on, I think I am going to execute tests on the ink to make sure that they won't wash off.

]]> HR simulation...so far http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/10/13/hr_simulationso_far So far, my team haven't encountered any major problems. I think we all click very well. I really appreciate my... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/10/13/hr_simulationso_far MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:29:47 EST So far, my team haven't encountered any major problems. I think we all click very well. I really appreciate my team manager, Jill, for working with all of our schedules. Since not all of us can meet twice each week, Jill made it possible for two of the team members to meet per session. I think she made a good point to show that in business, flexibility is key to success.

]]> Life/work balance http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/10/13/lifework_balance I had to interview Kathleen for my individual learning plan paper. She brought up an interesting topic during our interview.... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/10/13/lifework_balance MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:17:42 EST I had to interview Kathleen for my individual learning plan paper. She brought up an interesting topic during our interview. It was about the Life/Work Balance program. In her company, it is implemented for employees with families. Some of the benefits that they receive are babysitting programs and flexible hours. What kind of benefits are you looking for in your future career?

]]> Personality Test http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/10/13/personality_test With regard to the personality tests that we have been forced to take, I think it is a complete waste... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/10/13/personality_test MGMT 250 MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:01:59 EST With regard to the personality tests that we have been forced to take, I think it is a complete waste of our time and resources. In reality, how accurate are these tests? Why we really find it necessary for some little test to tell us who we really are? I just wanted to say, this is a higher education institution, are we going to be doing more than personality tests?

]]> Managerial skills http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/09/14/managerial_skills What managerial skills do you think you already possess, and why? I think that it is essential for a manager... http://blog.case.edu/naizhou.zhang/2006/09/14/managerial_skills MGMT250 MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Thu, 14 Sep 2006 21:43:45 EST What managerial skills do you think you already possess, and why?

I think that it is essential for a manager to be open-minded. This is an important skill to possess because business is always changing, therefore it in necessary to adapt to those changes. I am not suggesting that one should adjust their beliefs or ethic values based on change. But rather have a perspective that the different aspects of business should be viewed upon without bias. I believe that this is how the business world grows. It is constantly evolving and improving thanks to the people who doesn’t set a limit to what business is and should be.

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