Students, please view the “Submit a Clickable Rubric Assignment” in the Student Center.

Instructors, training on how to grade is within the Instructor Center.

Assignment 2: Human Resource Strategy

Due Week 6 and worth 200 points

Use the Internet to research the Best Places to Work (http://www.greatplacetowork.com/).  Select two companies from two different industries on the Fortune 100 list.  

Write a four to six (4-6) page paper in which you:

1. Compare and contrast the two (2) industries you have identified in terms of size, products, services, customers, economic and regulatory environment.
2. Describe the mission, vision, values and core business practices of each of the companies you selected. 
3. Determine from your research, at least two (2) HR strategies the company uses to ensure they acquire the needed talent to support their mission, vision, values, and core business practices. Provide support for your findings.
4. Suggest at least two (2) HR strategies that could promote a competitive advantage for each company within their industry. Provide a rationale for your position.
5. Use at least four (4) academic quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia does not qualify as an academic resource.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Evaluate the different forms of business ownership to determine the optimal structure in different scenarios and the process for a business start-up.
• Integrate the core human resource management functions and considerations into viable recommendations to meet the organization’s operating requirements.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in contemporary business.
• Write clearly and concisely about contemporary business using proper writing mechanics.

Click here to view the grading rubric for this assignment.

Part C – Short Answer(Please write only 1 short paragraph to answer each question).  

1.  Define union security and explain its importance to labor leaders. (5 points)  

2. Why is preparation so important for negotiators? (5 points) 

Part D – Essay. Your essay should be between 250 and 500 words).    

Use the terms and concepts covered in the course to analyze this case.  Your essay should be between 250 and 500 words. PLEASE DO NOT EXCEED 500 WORDS!

Ironsteel and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (“Union”) were parties to a collective bargaining agreement expiring May 31, 2011 that covered approximately 250 Ironsteel employees at Ironsteel’s North Chicago plant. The Union and Ironsteel began negotiations in March hoping to reach an agreement before the expiration date of May 31st.   The negotiations were unsuccessful; the parties were at an impasse.  Specifically, the parties could not reach agreement on issues surrounding salary, benefits, and health insurance payments.  As a result of the parties’ failure to negotiate a new agreement, the Union went out on strike on June 1, 2011. In response to the Union’s strike, Ironsteel hired 100 strike replacements, 90 of whom were assigned to Ironsteel’s entry level classifications. 

During the final stages of the strike Ironsteel and the Union negotiated over the conditions under which the strikers might return to work. The parties agreed to the following language as part of a Strike Settlement Agreement: 

“The strike against Ironsteel, Inc. by the Company’s employees who are members of the Union is terminated as of the date of this Agreement, July 15, 2011. Striking employees shall be returned to work to openings in the classifications occupied by the employee on May 31, 2011, in accordance with their respective seniority. The recall provisions of the collective bargaining agreement shall determine the order of  return to work.” 

In addition to the above agreed upon language, Ironsteel proposed that the Strike Settlement Agreement contain the following section (Paragraph 2), to which the Union objected: 

“2. Jobs filled by employees hired by the Company on or after  June 1, 2011 as strike replacements (new hires) for striking employees shall not be considered vacancies to which returning strikers shall be returned unless and until such jobs are vacated by the strike                  replacements. Such new hires shall not be bumped or displaced                                                  by the return of strikers. Such newly hired employees shall become members of the Union as stated in the collective bargaining agreement and their respective seniority shall be measured from their individual hire date. 

Because the parties did not agree to Ironsteel’s proposal concerning Paragraph 2, the parties determined that while Paragraph 2 would physically remain in the printed Agreement, the following marginal notation would be added reflecting the parties’ failure to agree to this particular provision. This marginal note read:  

“Paragraph 2 represents the position of the Company and is not  agreed to by the Union or waived by the Company.” 

A new collective bargaining agreement was signed by Ironsteel and the Union on July 15th, the same day the parties signed the Strike Settlement Agreement.  

Despite the language of Paragraph 2, Ironsteel fired 10 of the strike replacements on July 17th.  The 10 fired strike replacements had paid their union dues. To fill these 10 jobs,  Ironsteel brought back 

6  

10 strikers in accordance with the recall provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.  The 10 strike replacements filed a grievance alleging that their terminations were illegal.  

In addition, Ironsteel fired the 12 highest paid strikers.  The company thought this would be a good way to save money because if the 12 highly paid strikers returned, they would have retained their seniority and thus, their pay.   

You’re the Human Resources Director for Ironsteel and have been charged with addressing the various issues presented by these facts.  Your response should minimally respond to the following questions: 

1. Was the strike legal?

2. What are the arguments that the 10 strike replacements will make? Were their terminations legal?  Will the Union represent the 10 strike replacements?  Are their grievances permitted? What is Ironsteel’s argument in rebuttal? 

3. What are the arguments that the Union will make on behalf of the 12 highest paid strikers?  Were their terminations legal?  What is Ironsteel’s argument in rebuttal?   

Unit4 – Discussion Board
The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion.

At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Wednesday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Wednesday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation.

The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each unit.

For your Discussion Board post consider the following:

•Define a decision support system (DSS).
•What is the difference between management information systems and decision support systems?
•Describe the different components of a decision support system and explain each one.
•Think of an example where a decision support system helps with making internal decisions. 
Grading

•Discussion Board post: 30 points
•Commenting on other posts: 20 points 
In your own words, please post a response to the Discussion Board and comment on other postings. You will be graded on the quality of your postings.

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Unit Materials

As a manager of a health care organization, your goal is to create a successful environment for customers, patients, and staff, and planning is what makes this possible. A strategic plan will help maintain the environment you are currently in, provide input to what capabilities your organization has currently to use within this plan, change the organization based on the needs determined, and guide your organization to where it plans to go in the future.

Instructions

Research online at least 3 existing health care organizations for examples of mission and vision statements. Use them as a reference point when creating your own strategic plan. 

You are to complete the following portions of your health care organization strategic plan:

• Name your health care organization.
• Describe the health care organization for which you are creating a strategic plan.
  • Include details about the population it serves and the services provided.
• Identify the organization’s core competencies.
  • How are core competencies giving the organization an important difference in providing customer benefits and perceived value?
  • Identify the expectations and needs of the health care customer within that population.
• Define the organization’s vision statement.
  • Where do you want this organization to go?
  • What is your personal vision for this organization?
  • Does the organization address customer service within the vision statement?
  • Does the organization address the commitment to quality and value?
  • Does your vision statement involve the employees?
• Craft the organization’s mission statement.
  • What is the reason that this organization was created?
  • Does the organization address customer service within the mission statement?
  • Does the organization address the commitment to value and quality?

1. Choose a brand that you think is weak in the minds of customers. What is the
brand? Who is the target market? Why do you think this is a weak brand? How
would you attempt to Build or rebuild this brand?
2. You will undoubtedly be asked to develop a social media strategy once you get
established in a marketing career path. Choose a retailer who desperately needs
help with their social media strategy. Describe the product assortment/target
market (for my purposes in grading). What’s wrong with their current approach?
Clearly state the primary objectives underlying your recommended social media
strategy. Discuss and justify the components of the social media strategy. How
will you evaluate the effectiveness of this strategy in achieving these objectives?
3. A large part of this course has been focused on the Marketing issues & Challenges
(MIC) team project. At the core of the MIC project is a detailed marketing plan. Now,
you have been asked to provide guidance-specific guidance-to your new employer on
how to approach marketing planning, what elements are necessary to include in a
good marketing plan, and what cautions or concerns you have about developing and
utilizing marketing plans. Please include some great sources of secondary information
and provide your insight on when primary data collection is needed. Based on your
experience with the MIC project, what is the one biggest obstacle to overcome when
developing a workable marketing plan?
4. Marketing managers do a lot: develop market strategies and plans; capture
marketing insights; connect with customers; build strong brands; shape market
offerings; deliver value; communicate value; create long-term growth, etc. Please
choose two of these "tasks." Provide a specific example for each of these two tasks
that demonstrate these tasks being performed effectively; i.e., "best practices." Justify
why these are great examples. [This is not necessary – but, if it helps to make your
points, include documentation; e.g., reference to an article, an advertisement, the
website url, etc.]
M KTG690-Final Exam
5. Throughout this course, we have used information databases (e.g., Euromonitor);
strategy development procedures (e.g., questions to ask when developing channel
systems); theories (e.g., Porter’s 5 Forces; attitude theory; means-end chain); simple,
albeit quite complex, concepts (e.g., customer satisfaction and retention); marketing
metrics (e.g., Customer Lifetime Value); articles (e.g., The "Consumer Decision
Journey" – from the McKinsey Quorterly); videos – short and long (e.g., Wall Street
Journal on advertising using mobile devices or Heath on "Making Ideas Stick");
personal applications/reflections (e.g., marketing yourself; daily quotes); professional
applications (e.g., your MIC projects; Keeping it Recrl presentations); guest speakers
(Robert Carr and Jon England from Walmart; Ryan Michaelis from Hormel Foods;
Doug Wilson on marketing plans; Peter Vomocil on marketing metrics; and Katrina
Galas on branding the Olympics), etc., etc. According to you [and only you], what are

the two most important things you learned in this class? Briefly explain. How will
they help you in your educational career, professional career and/or life?