Case Studies

• Prepare 1-2 pages long papers for each Case Study part
• Have minimum three references for each Case Study part

CaseStudy—PartTwo

BruntmanagementdecidedthatbecausethisistheirfirstventureintoacountryoutsidetheUK,theywanttousePCNstosetupthenewhotelsandthatonlyinternalcandidatesshouldbeconsidered.Theythinkthatthisisimportantsotheycanincorporatetheorganization’svalues.However,theybelievethatoncethehotelsareupandrunning,HCNscouldbehired.Themanagementvacanciesmustbefilledassoonaspossible.

Intheircompanyliterature,theorganizationstatesthattheircorevaluesareto:

■  Provideexcellentlevelsofcustomerservicetoallguests.

■  Provideacleanandcomfortableenvironmentforguestsandstaff.

■  Recruitandretainexcellentstaff.

■  Supportanddevelopstaffsotheycanreachtheirfullpotential.

■  Continuouslystrive to improve all aspects of thebusiness.

■  Ensurethatallhotelbuildings,fixturesandfittingsarewell-maintainedinaproactivemanner.

Itisimportantthatthemanagementconsultantsforthisprojecttakethesecorevaluesintoaccountwhenmakingtheirrecommendations.

ActivityC (15minutes)

Writearecruitmentadvertisementforthenewpositionswhichcanbesenttoexistingmanagersbye-mail. Youradvertisementshouldinclude,ataminimum,thefollowinginformation:

■Mainresponsibilitiesofthenewjob.

■Theskillsyouarelookingforintheposition.

CaseStudy—PartThree

Themanagementteamlikedyourrecruitmentadvertisement,butrealizedthattheydidnotconsiderthesalaryforthesenewpositions!SincetheorganizationhasneverhiredmanagerstoworkoutsidetheUKbefore,theydonotknowhowtostartdeterminingthecompensation.TheyprovideyouwiththefollowinginformationthattheyfoundontheInternet:

■  Existingsalaryformanagersis£30,000(45,000Euros)plusbonuses.

■  SurveysshowthattheaveragesalaryforhotelmanagersinFranceis60,000Euroswithnoopportunitytoearnbonuses.

Thedirectorswanttohaveaconsistentapproachastohowtheycompensateexpatriatesbecausetheyexpecttheiroverseasbusinesstoexpandinthefuture.Theyalsowantexistingemployeestobeenticedintoworkingabroadandwanttohaveagoodrangeofincentives.

ActivityD(20minutes)

Designacompensationpackageforthe hotelmanagementposition.Explainthe rationaleforyourdesign.Youmayalsoincludenon-financialbenefits.

CaseStudy—PartFour

Themanagement eventuallyapprovestheadvertisementandthecompensationpackageand distributes both internally. Interested candidatesare asked to writealettertotheCEOtoexplainwhytheythinktheyarethebestpersonforthejob.Thirtymanagersapplyforoneofthenewpositions(thereare10positions

available),whichmeanstherewillbe20unsuccessfulcandidatesstillworkingfortheorganization.

Themanagementteamacknowledgesthattheapplicationletterswerenothelpfulwithmakingdecisionsandthattheyneedamorerobustselectionprocess.Theremustbeastrongsenseoffairnessintheselectionprocessbecausetheydonotwanttode-motivateanyoftheseexistingemployees.Theywanttoselecttherightcandidatesbecauseitisessentialthatthenewhotelsaresuccessfulandupandrunning quickly and efficiently. The senior managers know all ofthe candidatesquitewell(personallyandprofessionally).Theywouldlikeyou,asindependentconsultants,todesignanappropriateselectionmethodology.

Themanagementteamadvisesyouthattheydonotwanttotakeintoaccountthemaritalorfamilysituationoftheexpatriatecandidates;theyareconcernedthatthismayfallafoulofUKequalopportunitieslegislation.

ActivityE(20-30minutes)

Eachmanagementconsultantgroupmustdesignaselectionprocessforthecandidates.

Thereisnobudgetlimitforthedevelopmentoftheprocess;theseniormanagementteamknowsthatitisimportanttogettherightpersonforthejob.However,becausethenewhotelsmustbeupandrunningquickly,theyaskyoutodesignaselectionprocesswhichwilltakeamaximumoftwodays.

Youareincompetitionwiththeothermanagementconsultantgroupsandhavefiveminutestopresentyourideas.Youmustbeabletojustifywhyeachmethodisappropriate.

CaseStudy—PartFive

Themanagementhiressixcandidatestoworkoverseasbecausetheydidnotfeelthattheothercandidateswerequalified.Theyfeelconfidentthatthesesixcan

successfullyopenthenewhotels.Thesuccessofthesemanagersisvitaltothesuccessofsettingupthenewbusiness,somanagementwantstoensuretheyprovideeffectivesupportforthemintermsoftraininganddevelopment.Theybelievethatthebestoptionistodividetrainingintotwoparts:pre-departuretrainingandon-the-jobtraininginthenewcountry.Sincetheorganizationhasneversentemployeesabroadbefore,theyarenotsureaboutwhatshouldbeincludedinthesetrainingprograms.Theonlymandatoryareathatmustbeincludedisanintroductorylanguagesection(includingbasicbusinessFrench)sothatthemanagershaveabasicgraspoftheFrenchlanguagebythetimetheyopenthenewhotels.However,theyhopethatthemanagerswillenjoytheirintroductorylanguagecourseandwillcontinuetoattendmoreadvancedlanguageclasseswhenthenewhotelsareopen.

ActivityF(20-30minutes)

Theorganizationknowsthattrainingisimportant;butdespitelookingatwhatothercom-paniesoffer,theycannotdecidewhatthekeytrainingareasshouldbe.

Theywouldlikeallthreemanagementconsultantgroupstodesignthecontentandstructureofthesetrainingprogramsandallocatetwomanagerstoeachofthegroups(asindicatedbelow).Becauseofthelargeinvestmenttheyaremakinginthemanagers,theyprovideyouwithsomedetailsoneachofthemsothatthetrainingcanbetailoredtotheirneeds.

Group1willdesignthetrainingprogramsforManagersAandB.Group2willdesignthetrainingprogramsforManagersCandD.Group3willdesignthetrainingprogramsforManagersEandF.

Completethetablegiventoyoubyyourinstructortoshowyourproposals.

CaseStudy—PartSix

Themanagementteamdecidestoselectonlyoneofthethreeproposedtrainingprograms,confidentthatitwillbeusefulandinformativeforthenewexpatriates.However,theywouldalsoliketoprovideexternalsupportforthenewexpatriatestomaketheirtransitiontoanewcountryassmoothaspossible.Theyareawareof

someoftheservicesthatcanbeofferedtosupportemployeesonbothapersonalandprofessionallevel, butdo nothave acomprehensiveoverview.

ActivityG(20-30minutes)

ThemanagementteamasksyoutoconductInternet-basedresearchtofindoutwhatexpatriatesupportservicesareavailableinFrance.

Eachteamshouldcreatealistoftheservicesthatareavailableandprovidedetailsofatleastoneorganizationwhichcouldprovidetheservices.Theseservicesshouldthenbelistedinorderofpriorityfortheexpatriates.

Youwillpresentyourideastotheotherteams,soyoushouldbepreparedtojustifyyourreasonsforprioritizingtheservices.