Libby Robinson's Management Profile http://blog.case.edu/robinson/ Thoughts and Theory on the Management Curriculum en-us Wed, 06 Dec 2006 21:03:04 EST Wed, 06 Dec 2006 21:03:04 EST elizabeth.a.robinson2@case.edu elizabeth.a.robinson2@case.edu http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Movable Type v3.121 Final Annual Report http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/12/06/final_annual_report After the First Annual Report for the HR Simulation my team made an effort to include class materials and discussions... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/12/06/final_annual_report MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Wed, 06 Dec 2006 21:03:04 EST After the First Annual Report for the HR Simulation my team made an effort to include class materials and discussions in the Final Annual Report. After compiling the second report, I was interested in my teams usage of these materials. Although relevant to the simulation, I was left with the feeling that the simulation did not necessarily reinforce what I learned on topics such as feedback and training. I do not think that I understand these topics any more than I did after discussing them in class. On the other hand, I think the simulation helped me better understand motivation, as my team tried different methods to raise morale. We found that money is not always the best motivator and that other factors such as quality and safety of the workplace oftentimes have greater affect. I think realizations such as these are important parts of the final reflection in the annual report.

]]> Tom Mendola http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/12/06/tom_mendola After discussing the Tom Mendola case in class, I still feel the same as I did when I first read... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/12/06/tom_mendola MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Wed, 06 Dec 2006 20:18:41 EST After discussing the Tom Mendola case in class, I still feel the same as I did when I first read it. Of course, Tom is in an unfortunate situation that compromises his ability to work effectively. He is also younger than his coworkers. With these factors in mind I think it was reasonable for the factory to give him the opportunity to work in different departments in the company. His supervisors tried to find a fit for him that would keep him engaged and efficient. After these special considerations I think it is completely fair, if not expected, that the company release him. As I mentioned in a comment on someone else's blog, if he cannot be motivated by the well-being of his family then the company cannot expect to motivate him with anything else. I find it hard to argue on his behalf, and think that the company made the right decision.

]]> The End! http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/12/04/the_end Sadly, or not so much, we have reached the conclusion of the HR Simulation. As we compile the Final Annual... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/12/04/the_end MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Mon, 04 Dec 2006 01:57:13 EST Sadly, or not so much, we have reached the conclusion of the HR Simulation. As we compile the Final Annual Report, I'm finding many of my realizations about the second fiscal year very similar to those we made concerning the first. This is not a disappointing feature, as it makes our supplemental materials very useful in making this report. Our first annual report outlines many of the goals we determined and disregards the neglected methods we set forth in our team plan. The simulation journals, though seemingly meaningless, are handy for recalling which decisions we made during which quarter.

In relation to the in class lectures, it is obvious that certain topics are introduced in class to coincide with incidents in the simulation. This feature is interesting to me because despite how many times we may discuss performance appraisal in class, when presented with a "real life" issue in the simulation, I still find myself defending my original viewpointsand assume that my teammates are doing the same. I suppose if the new information is meant to reinforce current viewpoints, then we have found success, but as far as developing new thought processes, I see very little progress in myself and can only imagine the progress in others.

]]> Learning Plan Part II http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/30/learning_plan_part_ii I found Part II of the Learning Plan surprisingly basic compared to Part I. After wrestling with the precise rubric... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/30/learning_plan_part_ii MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Thu, 30 Nov 2006 22:21:12 EST I found Part II of the Learning Plan surprisingly basic compared to Part I. After wrestling with the precise rubric for part I, the simplicity of part II was certainly welcomed. I have always struggled with structured goal setting, and inevitably, I can rarely take myself seriously in this department. Theoretically, the SMART approach to achieving a goal is feasible and direct, although the types of goals described by SMART are limited to defined one-time achievements. I was interested to hear of a second approach that embraces more long-term, flexible goals. Unfortunately, I was left feeling that longer acronyms (START NOW), do not always make a method more user friendly. Although this theory was a better fit for the kinds of "goals" I had in mind. START NOW certainly did not encourage me to take the assignment seriously through more word associations and parameters on what makes my goal worthwhile. Needless to say, I don't think I got much farther in my goal planning than putting in writing what I already knew I needed to do. I suppose that this accomplishment can be considered a step in the right direction.

]]> KeyBank Special Session http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/29/keybank_special_session Admittedly, I was not overly excited to attend a Special Management Session on the day before Thanksgiving break, but I... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/29/keybank_special_session MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:49:30 EST Admittedly, I was not overly excited to attend a Special Management Session on the day before Thanksgiving break, but I was pleasantly surprised by the presentation on KeyBank's Performance Appraisal system. The speaker (whose name escapes me) was met with the typical Case Western lack enthusiasm, but I was interested in his ability to engage the begrudging audience in his presentation. I thought that he was an excellent speaker, and that his presentation kept me interested in an only marginally interesting topic. His discussion of the developing performance appraisal system at Key was a relevant connection to our class discussion involving what makes an appraisal system worthwhile. His description of Key's system included qualities that we discussed in class, such as: appraisal based on job description, written communication, using multiple raters, and the documentation of decisions.

]]> My Own Motivation http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/09/my_own_motivation Many times in class we have discussed what the best employee motivators may be. More than once we have mentioned... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/09/my_own_motivation MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Thu, 09 Nov 2006 14:03:24 EST Many times in class we have discussed what the best employee motivators may be. More than once we have mentioned that, although important, money is not always the best motivation for employees. Oftentimes, employees enjoy recognition or increased responsibility as a method of reward for above-average performance. I find myself currently dealing with this issue as I, like many of my peers, look toward employment over winter break. At this time I have two options, one offering sporatic, often stressful hours in a retail environment, and the other more peaceful, full-time work in a plant during its Christmas shutdown. Although the factory work would allow me to work with friends, receive slightly higher pay, and be minimally stressful, I find myself more actively pursuing the "less desireable" job. This means that I will be turning down money for the sake of a more stimulating and personally rewarding work environment. Without realizing it, I have proven to myself the one of the core ideas of this class; that there are many more positive motivators than a big paycheck.

]]> Catch Your Dreams http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/07/catch_your_dreams Today in class we did a "Catch Your Dreams" exercise that I found rather interesting. At first glance it was... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/07/catch_your_dreams MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:08:33 EST Today in class we did a "Catch Your Dreams" exercise that I found rather interesting. At first glance it was difficult to fathom having more than a handful of dreams at any one point in your life. It was easy to remember what my childhood dreams were, but to think of more than ten current dreams was a task. Once I started thinking I had little difficulty filling up the post-it notes, but after "clustering" the notes I could not decide if each note represented an individual "dream" or moreso was a picture of how my "dream" life would be. Ideally, success in all, or even several, of the noted dreams would mean that my adult life has fulfilled my expectations.

I think these dreams will make an interesting addition to the second part of the Individual Learning Plan, but I think it will be difficult to make a connection between the very career-oriented first half, to a more personal expression of success in the second.

]]> Job Search Ethics http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/07/job_search_ethics The Career Center presentation on job search ethics is one of the few topics that has followed me into the... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/07/job_search_ethics MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 07 Nov 2006 01:24:10 EST The Career Center presentation on job search ethics is one of the few topics that has followed me into the world outside of class. Although my last entry was about ethics at the workplace (Jonah Creighton), I am now aware that a whole new set of standards applies to the job search process. As internship-hungry students, it is hard to imagine turning away a potential employer, or asking for an extension on a job offer. Some issues seemed slightly more obvious, as in refusing to copy company documents for a resigning supervisor. These are matters that we all may encounter some day, as distant as that day may seem.

I encountered a job search ethics issue with a roommate who is applying for part-time positions at several local retailers. After receiving one call from a manager and accepting his offer, she chose to continue interviewing until she knew which of her options offered her the best benefits. I couldn't help but wonder if it was appropriate at any level of employment to accept an offer that you do not intend to fulfill. Although this is obviously a much more minor occurrence than accepting a full-time job or internship, I was still left with the feeling that this is an unacceptable method of fulfilling an employment search.

]]> Jonah Creighton http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/05/jonah_creighton After reading the Jonah Creighton Case for class recently, I was struck by a strong feeling of obviousness. I feel... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/11/05/jonah_creighton MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Sun, 05 Nov 2006 23:50:50 EST After reading the Jonah Creighton Case for class recently, I was struck by a strong feeling of obviousness. I feel as though, after much discussion and deliberation, matters of discrimination at the workplace can no longer be considered complicated. Because of legal liability and social acceptability, it is hard for me to consider this issue as a point of doubt. It was apparent to Jonah that this occurrence concerning Martin Banks was inappropriate. The next step for any employee, especially one in a subordinate position, is a matter of personal discretion. Jonah's decision to leave the company was his choice, over trying to change the company, or submit his superior to legal litigation. I feel as though in any situation, this will be the result. After the initial recognition and attempt at correction through his advisors, and seeing no immediate result, the choice will always be of appropriateness to the individual.

]]> First Simulation Year http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/10/31/first_simulation_year After completing our first year of the HR Simulation, I am left with mixed feelings. I think that my team... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/10/31/first_simulation_year MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 31 Oct 2006 20:40:42 EST After completing our first year of the HR Simulation, I am left with mixed feelings. I think that my team has done an excellent job of working together and accomplishing tasks in an efficient manner, but I am still somewhat unsatisfied with how the simulation is run. Throughout all four quarters we have received comments on our outputs that we oftentimes feel are irrelevant or misleading. For example, in quarter 2, we recorded grievances 1 point higher than the industry average, and received a comment of "good". Then in quarter 3, we recorded 35 fewer grievances than the prior quarter, and still 1 below average, and received a rather obscure comment of "careful". In addition to these annoyances, our team received flawed outputs in the fourth quarter that incorrectly set us over budget. While it is understandable that there may be programming flaws, these discrepancies are bothersome and poorly timed at the end of the year. I think issues such as these compromise the integrity of the experiment, when we are expected to take the simulation seriously.

]]> The Individual Learning Plan and HR Decisions http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/10/10/the_individual_learning_plan_and_hr_decisions As if I have not written enough on this topic so far this week, I will add just a few... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/10/10/the_individual_learning_plan_and_hr_decisions MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 10 Oct 2006 20:48:11 EST As if I have not written enough on this topic so far this week, I will add just a few more thoughts to this particular Management 250 assignment. Perhaps because of my leanings toward "concrete experience" and "active experiementation" I found the Individual Learning Plan uninteresting and contrived. The emphasis on thoughtful reflection and educated prediction left me feeling dissatisfied with Part I of the Learning Plan prompt. I understand the importance of tying together the self-assesments to create a well-supported picture of my personality, but I struggle to see the relevance of much of the rest of the prompt. The pertinent information included in the Learning Plan could easily be compiled into a file, leaving out the speculation of how one's values will balance one's life, or the sought-after correlation between work and personal life.

On another topic, I was excited to receive our first report concerning Quarter 1 of the HR Simulation. I am pleased with my group's progress and hope that we can continue making solid decisions that achieve our goals of decreasing turnover and increasing morale. The process for the quarterly decisions is becoming habitual and I am encouraged by the lack of detrimental conflict among my teammates. I am interested to see if we reap the same results this week with the new adjustments to our budget.

]]> Career Fair http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/10/10/career_fair Last Thursday, Case hosted its bi-annual Career Fair. The fair is highly advertised and encouraged throughout the management school as... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/10/10/career_fair MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 10 Oct 2006 19:59:24 EST Last Thursday, Case hosted its bi-annual Career Fair. The fair is highly advertised and encouraged throughout the management school as well as the college as a whole. While the fair boasted numerous employers, I was disappointed in the lack of selection for Management majors. It seemed as though nearly all of the companies were seeking engineers and other varieities of scientists, while the options for management students were limited. Nonetheless, the companies that were looking for Management majors were appealing, and eager to meet potential interns. I was encouraged by the number of representatives whose companies were accepting sophomore-level interns.

The information on the Career Fair provided by the Career Center was helpful, although I found fewer instances in which in-depth knowledge of the company was necessary, as most recruiters began the conversation by explaining their employer. I enjoyed the opportunity to practice networking skills as well as the exposure to new companies.

]]> First HR Team Meetings http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/10/03/first_hr_team_meetings Now that our class is delving farther into the HR Simulation Project, I think it is an opportune time... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/10/03/first_hr_team_meetings MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 03 Oct 2006 02:23:34 EST Now that our class is delving farther into the HR Simulation Project, I think it is an opportune time to reflect on the beginning stages of our group work. At first glance of the Simulation Manual, I was apprehensive concerning my team leader position. The information was overwhelming and the process foreign, but after meeting my team members, all initial doubts were eased.

My team consists of two accommodators, a diverger, converger, and assimilator. Early in the process of laying out our team plan, the differences in learning styles became apparent. Prior to the assignment, I had little awareness of what these differences in learning style meant for our team. After the Team Plan assignment, I realize that the HR Simulation is ushering us through the learning cycle, beginning with abstract conceptualization and working clockwise through active experimentation, concrete experience, and reflective observation. Professor Poonamallee explained this sequence to a team member and me, and this concept really helped me to grasp the goal of the Simulation. I realized why, as an accommodator with emphasis on concrete experience, I had difficulty grasping the theory behind the simulation.

My hope now is that my comprehension and capability in the coming assignments will be enhanced as we move around the learning cycle. In this respect, I am able to truly appreciate the efforts of my team as they excel in their own areas of particular comfort.

]]> Affirmative Action and EEO http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/10/03/affirmative_action_and_eeo In Management, we discussed Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action. I found these topics interesting because they give... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/10/03/affirmative_action_and_eeo MGMT250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Tue, 03 Oct 2006 01:56:29 EST In Management, we discussed Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action. I found these topics interesting because they give me an appreciation of the risks and responsibilities that managers must handle. Concerning affirmative action and hiring processes, we discussed that in order for a company to validate their hiring process it must demonstrate the need for a certain type of employee based on three qualifications. While I understand the bona fide occupational qualification, and the business necessity, I find less relevance in the 4/5 rule. This rule seems to be convoluted and difficult to enforce.

In the mini-case study, I thought it was interesting to discuss what constitutes a discrimination case against an employer, and how little an interviewer has to do in order to put himself in such a situation. While the hypothetical employer in the case simply handled the information in the way he saw best, he unknowingly discriminated against a highly capable employee candidate. I feel as though this exercise was one of the more useful of the class, because it helped make me aware of how easily and abruptly discrimination cases can develop.

]]> Mock Interview http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/09/25/mock_interview This past Friday, September 22, I participated in the Career Center's Mock Interview day. My interview session with a... http://blog.case.edu/robinson/2006/09/25/mock_interview MGMT250 Management 250 case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Mon, 25 Sep 2006 21:13:37 EST This past Friday, September 22, I participated in the Career Center's Mock Interview day. My interview session with a recruiter from the Cleveland-based Eaton Corporation provided useful and interesting feedback. I was interested to see what interviewing styles the recruiter would use to provide a basis for her feedback. Of course, all material was by suggestion of the Career Center, and it provided my first experience with a behavioral interview. Many of the questions in the half hour session were open-ended, and asked me to provide examples of times that I completed certain types of tasks. I found many of these questions to be difficult, but was ultimately interested in her emphasis more so on how I answered the question, rather than what my answer contained.

The interview definitely corresponded to the types discussed in class; it was structured, behavioral, and professional in style. The recruiter also discussed with me the STAR (Situation Task Action Result) approach to answering behavioral questions, and overall gave me very useful feedback.

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