Human Resource Management
Case Study – The Schoen Ultimatum
As newly-appointed Director of Human Resources, Clarissa Schoen was assigned principal authority and responsibility to coordinate, write and implement the company Human Resources Plan and any related strategies so as to ensure consistency throughout the company. In announcing Schoen’s appointment to the newly established position several months ago, the CEO indicated the advantages of a centralized HRM Division at the present stage of the company’s growth, and he urged all business managers and supervisors to give the new department their full cooperation.
The CEO’s directive notwithstanding, most business managers have failed to give Clarissa Schoen very much cooperation. For example, when sending requests that new employees be hired, many supervisors are still not submitting associated job descriptions and person specifications which Schoen has requested be provided as a matter of routine. As a result, Human Resources cannot determine the required applicant qualifications in such instances but rather is forced to send the applicants to the department concerned for preliminary screening as well as final selection.
Of the eight employee dismissals that have taken place since Schoen assumed her duties, in only two instances did the supervisor request the action through HRM. In the other cases the supervisor simply sent a memo informing Schoen of the action with little, if any, explanation given. Realising the necessity of working with rather than against business management, Clarissa has tried to be diplomatic in reminding business managers of the necessity of clearing such actions with her Division, without much apparent success.
Most recently, Schoen spent several weeks devising a front-line leadership development program, originally suggested as an area of need by the CEO at the time of Schoen’s appointment. The program was scheduled for the last two working hours of each Monday and ten meetings were to be oriented toward a discussion of basic management and leadership principles. In the directive to the managers and supervisors, Ms Schoen emphasized the importance of the program and the CEO’s expressed interest in it. When she entered the conference room for the first meeting, however, she found only nine of the company’s thirty-eight business managers in attendance.
Feeling both embarrassed and infuriated, Schoen has decided that the time for confrontation with business management has come. She believes that either she must make an issue of this failure to comply with her directives or see the Division’s activities and authority degenerate. Accordingly, arming herself with a copy of the memo that was sent to each manager informing him of the management developmental program, she presents her case to the CEO with the request that either the business managers be instructed to comply with such HRM directives or that the CEO accept her resignation. To her surprise, the CEO accepts her resignation indicating that he did not believe that Schoen could regain the respect of the business managers. In his view, her credibility had been damaged beyond repair.
Your task: You have been selected externally to replace Clarissa Schoen. You have a good understanding of the circumstances leading to her departure. What will you now do to ensure that HRM becomes an integral part of the company and is seen as a value-adding business partner?
Be sure to mention the appropriate HRM theories and critically evaluate the case using various HRM theories and frameworks to assess their fundamental assumptions, intellectual rigor, and practical value.
Be sure to reference your paper in APA style. You should aim to use at least six recent/relevant references.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
A. Scoping of the issues (20% of the total mark)
• Clear description of the issue and its boundaries
• Successful communication of a thesis informing the paper
• Demonstrated understanding of the practical implications of the issue
B. Substantive content (40% of the total mark)
• Research skills as demonstrated by the range and relevance of references
• Accurate reporting and demonstrated understanding of information/data
• Awareness of strengths and weaknesses of different reference material (eg. company information, academic literature, personal experience) as a base for argument
• Proper use/referencing of the material
C. Response to the issue (40% of the total mark)
• Critical analysis of competing approaches/solutions to the issue
• Development of a logical and well-structured response to the issue
• Use of substantive detail to support the recommended response to the issue
•
Additional essential requirements:
• In the Exercise, a minimum of three articles from quality academic journals must be used to support your argument (Peer Reviewed Articles)
•
There must be proper citation of sources according to academic conventions (APA 6 style).