Category: Human Resource Management

Quenchbliss Case Study: Write a SWOT Analysis
SCENARIO: Quenchbliss is a craft soda company based in El Paso, Texas. Craft sodas are more expensive, gourmet sodas, usually from small companies—the soft drink equivalent of “microbrews.” Quenchbliss’s primary business is their sodas, with smaller revenue streams from merchandise. They have an owners group of thirty shareholders but are not yet publicly traded. They have a staff of about 80, most of whom work in the warehouse, distribution, and at a store attached to the warehouse. All operations are at the same location, from research and development, to promotions and sales, to bottling and distribution. Because it began as a small operation and grew quickly, their organizational structure is flat and organic. “Everybody does a little bit of everything,” their founder and CEO says. Indeed, the CEO herself sometimes takes the register at the store or oversees warehouse operations.
Quenchbliss’s claim to fame is unusual flavors, like “Bacon and Eggs,” and seasonal offerings like “Thanksgiving Turkey.” They have to constantly release new flavors since their target market is focused on these new and unique flavors. In fact, one of the company’s biggest sellers is their subscriiption box, which comes out four times a year and contains a four-pack of their newest flavors and seasonal favorites. The unusual and constantly changing flavors are also what bring people into the store. Quenchbliss does produce traditional flavors like cola and lemon-lime, which they distribute through restaurants and grocery stores. These bring in reliable revenue, even if they don’t get the attention on social media of their nontraditional flavors. Several months ago, Quenchbliss went international by opening a distribution center in Juarez, Mexico. This market has little competition for craft soda, so their products have become popular. They’ve done so well, in fact, Quenchbliss is considering expanding into other international markets such as Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and Kingston, Jamaica.
However, since they have spent time, money, and energy on expansion, Quenchbliss has lost a contract with a local restaurant chain and has also seen a decrease in subscriiptions. Because of these setbacks, Quenchbliss has put expansion on hold and gone back to finding exciting new flavors by growing their product development team, a combination of food scientists and creative professionals who brainstorm how to create and market new flavors. This move has caused some internal friction, as many were excited about the continued growth of the brand. Another source of internal friction is that salaries are not keeping pace with the market, so Quenchbliss has a hard time recruiting people for lower-level jobs of production and distribution. These jobs also have high turnover.
ASSIGNMENT: For all of the Touchstones in this class, you will take on the role of an Organizational Behavior Consultant to help Quenchbliss understand and address their challenges. For this assignment, you will perform a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). In addition to providing initial analysis of the organization, you will make recommendations based on the tutorials you have read so far. For more information on SWOT analyses, see the tutorial on Internal Organizations and External Environments. You should also review the content throughout Unit 1 on internal and external environments, organizational change, and diversity in the workforce. An example SWOT analysis is provided in Section B below.
Download the Template
A. Directions
Step 1. Perform Research:
In order to effectively perform a SWOT analysis, you must do research on the company, the industry, the region, and the economy. You have the Quenchbliss scenario to tell you about the company’s strengths and weaknesses, but should find at least three outside sources of information to understand the threats and opportunities facing Quenchbliss.
Examples of specific places to research would be:
• An inventory of grocery stores in the southwestern United States to see which brands of craft soda they sell. This will tell you about the competition.
• Job sites like Indeed and LinkedIn to understand the job market in El Paso, TX, and Juarez, the border city in Chihuahua, Mexico. This will tell you about the market in this area.
• National and global information on the craft soda industry and trends for these companies.
• National and global information on the economy and the job market in general.
• The economy in downtown El Paso, particularly for “entertainment shopping,” and recreational activities that might bring foot traffic to their store.
Step 2: Develop your SWOT Analysis on Quenchbliss:
After you’ve synthesized the information, record the SWOT analysis in the template provided, answering these key points:
• What Quenchbliss does well internally.
• What weaknesses the company has internally.
• What external opportunities exist as they relate to changing demographics, new markets, or international markets.
• What external challenges they face, such as competition, consumer tastes shifts, or local economic issues.
Hint: Each bullet point should state an observation or fact, provide a source for the fact if it is not in the scenario, and a few words about why you consider it a strength, weakness, opportunity, or fact. See below for examples.
Step 3: Consider the Impact:
Select at least two items identified in your SWOT Analysis that are likely to have an effect on aspects of the internal organization, such as structure, culture, stability, and complexity. Write 2-4 paragraphs that explain why this is important and what effect it will have on the organization. Apply concepts for the course tutorials in Unit 1. See the example below for further clarification. The prompts below may help you in writing this analysis.
• What are the most significant potential impacts on Quenchbliss?
• How can Quenchbliss leverage identified strengths and opportunities to mitigate weaknesses and threats?
• What strategic recommendations would you make to address these impacts, and what are the considerations for implementing these recommendations?
• How can the company plan for and mitigate potential future threats?
Step 4: Develop strategic recommendations:
Include suggestions for Quenchbliss to leverage strengths, address weaknesses, seize opportunities, and mitigate threats. Write 2-4 paragraphs incorporating at least 2 recommendations for Quenchbliss. Each recommendation should include a brief risk analysis to anticipate potential pitfalls and propose measures to address these risks.
• How can strengths be transformed into opportunities to drive growth?
• What changes should Quenchbliss consider to turn weaknesses into strengths or opportunities?
• Identify and evaluate the potential risks associated with your recommendations.
• Propose actionable steps to mitigate identified risks.
Step 5: References:
Finally, add the references to the articles you cited in the paper. You should include at least 5 references, 2 of which can be from the Sophia Learning course tutorials. Be sure to use APA format, usually in the format shown below. Make sure any URLs are correct and do not contain any unnecessary code.
Columbo, F. & Fletcher, J. (2020, March 5). The perils of dishonesty in business. Levinson Institute of Economics. http://levinsoninst.org/perils-of-dishonesty.html
Step 6: Submit Touchstone:
Once you have completed your analysis and reviewed the checklist below, it is time to submit your document. If you are using Microsoft Word, you simply need to save your document and upload the file to Sophia. If you are using other word processing software, export the document as a Microsoft Word document (.docx) and upload this version to Sophia. In Google Docs this is under File: Download: Microsoft Word. In Apple Keynote it is under File: Export to: Microsoft Word.
Remember to check your work! Refer to the checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone Task until it meets these guidelines.

❒ Does your analysis communicate your points? 
❒ Did you find at least five sources of information on competition and other environmental factors to provide a viable SWOT? 
❒ Have you thought of all potential strengths, making reasonable assumptions?
❒ Have you thought of all potential weaknesses, as compared to competitors, making reasonable assumptions?
❒ Have you thought of all potential opportunities, based on research, making reasonable assumptions?
❒ Have you thought of all potential threats, based on research and by making reasonable assumptions?
❒ Have you thought of at least 2 recommendations to give Quenchbliss based off your SWOT analysis? 
❒ Have you identified potential risks and mitigation strategies for the recommendations made? 
❒ Have you correctly included your in-text citations and completed your Reference page using APA formatting?
B. Example
This example shows one way to do a SWOT analysis, for the other company we discuss throughout the class, Media4U. Since that company has a different story than Quenchbliss, please use this only as a reference for what a SWOT analysis looks like; do not copy the specific points.
Strengths Weaknesses
• High customer satisfaction and loyalty give Media4U reliable core business.
• Committed, creative, and diverse employees give Media4U a strong portfolio that attracts new clients.
• Ethical approach to advertising builds trust and authenticity giving a competitive edge to clients who share our values.
• Leadership committed to continuous improvement assuring that Media4U will continue to adapt to the changing environment. • Structural changes have created instability, which in turn affects employee morale.
• The Media4U brand is not well known in a highly competitive market, making it harder to attract new clients.
• While there are new hires who lead social media marketing efforts, the organization still lacks broad or deep technological knowledge making it hard to compete in this area.
• Staff feels opportunities for advancement are rare and highly competitive, making them less loyal and committed to Media4U in the long term.
Opportunities Threats
• New media marketing is a growth industry (Business Insights Today, 2024) so Media4U could meet this demand.
• Companies are looking for authenticity and DEI in advertising (Little Black Book) which are strength areas for Media4U.
• Election years always provide additional work for media companies so Media4U could focus sales in this area.
• Growth of business in DC area is good opportunity for new client relationships, so Media4U could focus on building relationships with new businesses. • AI is threat to conventional media creation (Anderson, 2024) changing the media landscape in ways we can’t anticipate.
• Other companies have more tech savvy in areas like digital marketing and data analytics so we must catch up if we want to stay relevant.
• Political clients can lead to blowback from clients (AAF, 2024) so we must be careful about committing to divisive candidates.
• Advertising companies outpacing other businesses for growth in DC area, meaning more competition for new clients and even maintaining current clients.
Impact
Media4U is facing some challenges which threaten the stability of the organization. In particular, they lag on technological capacity. They have made some gains in this area by adding a social media marketing department, but still have limited resources in this area and furthermore have trouble recruiting and training staff who have this knowledge. Further change is needed to stay competitive. Media4U is at a crucial stage in the business life cycle, one where organizational decisions can lead to decline or renewal based on willingness to make deep changes (“Organizational Change”, n.d.)
In addressing this need, the organization should consider a “bottom-up” approach to making organizational changes, since without employee buy-in there is likely to be continued friction and even resentment. One tried-and-true approach that would be effective for Media4U is a “5-D” process. Following this model, leadership would create a cross-organizational committee to define their goals for the future, discover (do initial learning about the environment), dream and design (create a broad vision for their organization, and identify specific ways to achieve it) and ultimately determine the organization’s destiny (“Appreciative Inquiry”, n.d.). Each member of the committee can also meet with their respective departments, so all points of view are represented and the change has organization-wide commitment.
Moreover, it is important to consider all stakeholders in these decisions, especially existing (especially long-term) clients. An open meeting for all stakeholders where a trained facilitator helps them explore ideas for the future would assure that organizational changes are consistent with what other stakeholders (such as clients and the community) want from Media4U and help avoid further instability (“Complex Adaptive Systems”, n.d.). These stakeholders also have ideas and beliefs that need to be part of their vision.
References
American Advertising Federation (2024, March 6). What’s On the Agenda for US Advertising in 2024? Little Black Book. https://lbbonline.com/news/whats-on-the-agenda-for-us-advertising-in-2024
Anderson, B. (2024, June 4). AI in Digital Marketing: Trends and Best Practices for 2024. ReadWrite. https://readwrite.com/ai-digital-marketing-trends/
Business Insights Today (2024, January 24). “Digital Media Market Size” | Showing Impressive Growth by 2031 [LinkedIn]. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/digital-media-market-size-showing-impressive-growth-gafic/
Sophia Learning (n.d.) Complex Adaptive Systems. Organizational Behavior [MOOC]. Sophia. https://app.sophia.org/course_preview/organizational-behavior/challenge-1-3/6/14490/complex-adaptive-systems
Sophia Learning (n.d.) Appreciative Inquiry. Organizational Behavior [MOOC]. Sophia. https://app.sophia.org/course_preview/organizational-behavior/challenge-1-3/5/14489/appreciative-inquiry
Sophia Learning (n.d.) Organizational Change. Organizational Behavior [MOOC]. Sophia. https://app.sophia.org/course_preview/organizational-behavior/challenge-1-3/2/14486/organizational-change-2
C. Requirements
• All content must be original, created for this assignment, and appropriate for an academic audience.
• Content should be formatted for professional conventions (12-point font, preferably Times New Roman or another standard-looking font, 1-inch margins, and carefully proofread for errors). Professional documents are usually single-spaced with an extra space between paragraphs.
• Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited, including the use of AI-generated content.
• Submission must include your name, the date, and the assignment name.
• Include all of the assignment components in a single .doc or .docx file. If you are using software other than Microsoft Word, such as Google Docs or Apple Pages, you can export in these formats.
D. Additional Resources
The following resources may be helpful to you as you work on your Touchstone Task assignment.
1. Purdue Online Writing Lab’s APA Formatting and Style Guide. This site includes a comprehensive overview of APA style, as well as individual pages with guidelines for specific citation types.
2. Frequently Asked Questions About APA Style. This page on the official APA website addresses common questions related to APA formatting. The “References,” “Punctuation,” and “Grammar and Writing Style” sections will be the most useful to your work in this course.
3. APA Style: Quick Answers—References. This page on the official APA Style website provides numerous examples of reference list formatting for various source types.
4. Appropriate Level of Citation. This page offers guidance on how to effectively avoid over- or under-citation.
E. Rubric
Advanced (100%) Proficient (85%) Acceptable (75%) Needs Improvement (50%) Non-Performance (0%)
Strengths
Identifies organizational strengths that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. (15%) Identifies 4 organizational strengths that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Identifies 3 organizational strengths that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies 2 organizational strengths that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies 1 organizational strength that is consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies no organizational strengths, or none are consistent with the scenario or supported by research.
Weaknesses
Identifies organizational weaknesses that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. (15%) Identifies 4 organizational weaknesses that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Identifies 3 organizational weaknesses that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies 2 organizational weaknesses that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies 1 organizational weakness that is consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies no organizational weaknesses, or none are consistent with the scenario or supported by research.
Opportunities
Identifies organizational opportunities that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. (15%) Identifies 4 organizational opportunities that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Identifies 3 organizational opportunities that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies 2 organizational opportunities that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies 1 organizational opportunity that is consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies no organizational opportunities, or none are consistent with the scenario or supported by research.
Threats
Identifies organizational threats that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. (15%) Identifies 4 organizational threats that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Identifies 3 organizational threats that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies 2 organizational threats that are consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies 1 organizational threat that is consistent with the scenario and/or supported by research. Additional items may be listed that are not consistent with the scenario and/or the facts available. Identifies no organizational threats, or none are consistent with the scenario or supported by research.
Impact
Consider impact of at least one aspect of the SWOT analysis on the internal organization, and make recommendations based on course tutorials. (15%) Provides at least 2 highly detailed paragraphs considering impact of at least one aspect of the SWOT analysis on the internal organization. Provides at least 2 paragraphs considering impact of at least one aspect of the SWOT analysis on the internal organization. Provides 1 paragraph considering impact of at least one aspect of the SWOT analysis on the internal organization. Provides less than one paragraph considering impact of SWOT analysis on the internal organization; impact may not be in paragraph form and/or is not clearly drawn from SWOT analysis. Does not provide a reasonable consideration of impacts for any aspect of the SWOT analysis.
Recommendations
Make recommendations based on your analyses utilizing tutorials. (15%) At least 2 highly detailed paragraphs with at least 2 recommendations are included with recommendations derived from the SWOT analyses, including risks and mitigation strategies At least 2 paragraphs are included with recommendations derived from the SWOT analyses, including risks and mitigation strategies At least 1 paragraph and 1 recommendation is included with recommendation derived from the SWOT analyses, including risks and mitigation strategies Provides less than one paragraph, and at least 1 recommendation is included with recommendation derived from the SWOT analyses. Risks and mitigation strategies may be missing. Does not provide reasonable recommendations and does not include any risks or mitigation strategies.
Conventions
Meets conventions for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and APA formatting. (10%) At least 5 references have been used in the analyses. Includes virtually no minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and APA formatting. At least 4 references have been used in the analyses. Includes fewer than 5 minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and APA formatting.
Org Behavior TS1 Template.docx

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Strengths

1. Innovative and Unique Flavors: Quenchbliss is known for its highly creative and unique flavors, such as “Bacon and Eggs” and “Thanksgiving Turkey,” which attract a niche market interested in novelty products. This unique selling proposition (USP) helps Quenchbliss differentiate itself in a competitive industry, building strong customer loyalty.
2. Strong Social Media Presence: The unusual and constantly changing flavors generate excitement on social media, with the company tapping into the trend of “foodie” culture. Social media engagement helps them maintain a strong brand presence and keep customers excited about their product releases.
3. Subscription Box Service: The subscription box, which delivers new and seasonal flavors to customers regularly, provides a consistent revenue stream and increases customer loyalty by offering exclusive access to new products.
4. Expansion into International Markets: The successful launch of a distribution center in Juarez, Mexico, with minimal competition in the craft soda market, demonstrates that Quenchbliss has strong potential for international growth. This marks an important step in their brand’s scalability and reach beyond local markets.

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Weaknesses

1. Financial Strain and Resource Allocation: Recent expansion efforts have stretched Quenchbliss’s resources thin, particularly in terms of staffing and finances. The pause in expansion to refocus on flavor development suggests that the company is facing financial stress, which impacts its ability to continue its growth trajectory.
2. High Turnover in Lower-Level Jobs: Positions in production and distribution are plagued by high turnover, which affects productivity and increases recruitment and training costs. Additionally, salaries that don’t match the industry standard make it difficult to retain employees in these roles.
3. Reliance on Unusual Flavors for Market Identity: While unique flavors have been a key differentiator, they also create the challenge of maintaining customer interest through constant innovation. Additionally, these flavors may not appeal to every customer, leading to the potential loss of business from more traditional soda drinkers.
4. Inability to Maintain Large-Scale Contracts: Losing a local restaurant chain contract could indicate a vulnerability in maintaining large, stable business relationships, which impacts overall revenue.

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Opportunities

1. Growth of Craft Beverage Market: The craft soda industry is experiencing significant growth as more consumers turn to artisanal and unique beverage options. This trend presents an opportunity for Quenchbliss to expand its customer base, especially among consumers who prefer high-quality, locally sourced products.
2. Expansion into Additional International Markets: The success in Mexico sets a positive precedent for expansion into other international markets, such as the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, which could open up new revenue streams.
3. Diversification of Product Line: By expanding beyond soda and exploring new product lines such as craft sodas in cans, mixers for alcoholic beverages, or even health-conscious sodas (e.g., low-sugar or functional beverages), Quenchbliss can tap into larger or more diverse markets.
4. Collaborations with Food Industry Partners: Strategic partnerships with restaurants, grocery stores, and food festivals could expose Quenchbliss’s products to a broader audience and increase brand visibility.

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Threats

1. Intense Competition: The craft soda industry is becoming increasingly competitive, with many small and local brands vying for market share. Larger beverage companies may also tap into the craft soda market, putting pressure on smaller companies like Quenchbliss to innovate constantly.
2. Economic Conditions and Consumer Spending: Economic downturns or shifts in consumer spending habits could negatively affect discretionary spending on premium products like craft sodas. A decrease in consumer purchasing power could lead to a reduction in demand for nonessential items such as gourmet sodas.
3. Supply Chain and Distribution Challenges: As Quenchbliss expands, logistical challenges related to distribution, especially internationally, could arise. Operational disruptions due to geopolitical factors, trade restrictions, or transportation issues could impact product availability.
4. Consumer Taste Shifts: The demand for novelty flavors may eventually wane, and consumer taste preferences could shift toward healthier, low-sugar, or functional beverages. This shift would require Quenchbliss to innovate quickly and adapt to changing market demands.

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Impact Analysis

Two aspects of Quenchbliss’s SWOT analysis that will significantly impact the internal organization are its high turnover in lower-level positions and its expansion into international markets.

High turnover in lower-level jobs: High employee turnover in production and distribution roles is concerning as it leads to an unstable workforce. Quenchbliss may face challenges in maintaining consistent productivity, which could affect its ability to fulfill orders and maintain quality standards. The lack of competitive compensation exacerbates the issue by making recruitment and retention difficult. Additionally, this high turnover could undermine team morale, leading to decreased efficiency and greater strain on the remaining employees.

To address this, Quenchbliss needs to consider improving compensation packages and offering growth opportunities within the company. Investing in employee training, career development, and retention programs could create a more stable and motivated workforce. Furthermore, Quenchbliss could explore automated solutions to streamline the production process and reduce dependency on manual labor.

Expansion into International Markets: Quenchbliss’s expansion into Juarez has been successful, and the company is considering additional international growth in markets like the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. While this is an exciting opportunity, it also brings increased complexity and risk. International operations can lead to challenges in managing supply chains, navigating different regulatory environments, and handling currency fluctuations. Additionally, cultural differences in taste preferences could require product adaptations.

To effectively manage international expansion, Quenchbliss should develop a strategic plan that addresses these challenges. Hiring local experts and creating localized marketing strategies could help Quenchbliss tailor its approach to new markets and navigate regulatory hurdles more effectively. Leveraging its strong brand identity for unique flavors could help establish a loyal customer base even in new regions.

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Strategic Recommendations

1. Enhance Employee Retention Strategies: To address the issue of high turnover, Quenchbliss should focus on improving compensation for lower-level employees, especially those in production and distribution. A competitive wage structure will not only help with recruitment but also improve employee morale and loyalty. Additionally, Quenchbliss could offer employee development programs to create career advancement opportunities and reduce the likelihood of staff burnout.

   Risk Analysis: There is a potential risk of increasing operational costs by raising wages. However, the return on investment will likely be seen through improved employee satisfaction, reduced recruitment costs, and enhanced productivity. A phased implementation of wage increases could help mitigate the financial strain.

2. Focus on Scaling International Expansion: Quenchbliss should prioritize expanding strategically into international markets that align with their brand’s unique selling proposition, particularly those with limited competition in the craft soda space. Local market research and the recruitment of regional experts will help adapt products to local tastes and navigate regulatory challenges.

   Risk Analysis: Expanding into new regions presents logistical challenges, especially related to supply chain management. Quenchbliss will need to build robust distribution channels and partnerships with local businesses to minimize delays and disruptions. Implementing a pilot program in select cities could reduce the risk of over-expansion too quickly.

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References

• Sophia Learning. (n.d.). Complex Adaptive Systems. Organizational Behavior [MOOC]. Retrieved from https://app.sophia.org/course_preview/organizational-behavior/challenge-1-3/6/14490/complex-adaptive-systems
• Sophia Learning. (n.d.). Organizational Change. Organizational Behavior [MOOC]. Retrieved from https://app.sophia.org/course_preview/organizational-behavior/challenge-1-3/2/14486/organizational-change-2
• Anderson, B. (2024, June 4). AI in Digital Marketing: Trends and Best Practices for 2024. ReadWrite. https://readwrite.com/ai-digital-marketing-trends/
• Business Insights Today (2024, January 24). Digital Media Market Size | Showing Impressive Growth by 2031 [LinkedIn]. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/digital-media-market-size-showing-impressive-growth-gafic/



Scenario: In Touchstone 1, you developed a SWOT analysis to fully understand the position of the Quenchbliss soda company in the current market. You should use that analysis to help inform your decisions on this Touchstone. You will continue your role as an Organizational Behavior Consultant to help Quenchbliss leaders grow their organization.
For this Touchstone, we will make the following assumptions:
* Quenchbliss needs to restructure the organization. As noted in the scenario, the company has grown fast and organically.
* Based on the SWOT analysis performed in the Unit 1 Touchstone, Quenchbliss wants to expand into two more countries, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, in the next 5 years.
* Because they have high turnover, Quenchbliss needs to work on their motivation strategies to keep their people happy and engaged.
Consider the following as you develop your organizational structure:
* Quenchbliss has historically been an organic organization but needs to make mechanistic changes as it expands. Review the content on organizational structures and organizational design.
* Quenchbliss does not have a clear path to promotion, which can be one motivational factor. According to the expectancy theory, showing employees that desirable behavior leads to positive outcomes, like promotions, is important as part of the organizational structure design.
Consider the following questions as you develop your motivational plans:
* How can a manager motivate employees extrinsically but also ensure they are intrinsically motivated?
* Which motivational theory do you think is the most valid and applicable to Quenchbliss’s organization?
Assignment: Develop a slide deck for a presentation for the leadership at Quenchbliss. As an OB expert, your presentation will address how the company can change the organizational structure, provide a graphic on a proposed structure, and also address motivational strategies that are tied to motivational theories.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

To help you structure your slide deck for Quenchbliss’s leadership, I’ll outline the key components of your presentation based on the assumptions provided. This includes recommendations on organizational structure, a proposed graphic, and motivational strategies aligned with relevant motivational theories. Each slide should be succinct yet informative.

Slide 1: Title Slide

• Title: “Organizational Restructuring and Motivational Strategies for Quenchbliss”
• Subtitle: “Presented by: [Your Name], Organizational Behavior Consultant”
• Date: [Insert Date]

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Slide 2: Introduction & Objectives

• Objective 1: Address the need for restructuring as Quenchbliss expands into new markets (Jamaica and the Dominican Republic).
• Objective 2: Discuss motivational strategies to reduce turnover and increase employee engagement.
• Objective 3: Propose an organizational structure aligned with Quenchbliss’s expansion goals and growth.

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Slide 3: Current Organizational Structure

• Overview: Quenchbliss currently operates with an organic structure that is flexible but lacks clear direction and career paths for employees.
• Challenge: High employee turnover and lack of clarity in promotion and growth opportunities.
• Goal: Transition to a more mechanistic structure while maintaining flexibility for innovation.

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Slide 4: Proposed Organizational Structure

• Title: Proposed Mechanistic Structure for Quenchbliss
• Graphic: Insert a visual of the proposed structure (hierarchical, with clear divisions based on geography and function).
  • Top Level: CEO/COO
  • Second Level: Country Managers (Jamaica, Dominican Republic)
  • Third Level: Marketing, Sales, Operations, HR, and Finance Managers for each country.
  • Key Features: Clearly defined roles, centralized decision-making at the top, formalized roles for easier scalability.
• Rationale: This structure will streamline decision-making and improve coordination across regions, while still allowing local managers to adapt to market conditions in their respective countries.

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Slide 5: Linking Structure to Growth Plans

• Expansion Goals: Enter Jamaica and the Dominican Republic over the next 5 years.
• Structure Support: The proposed structure supports rapid scaling by centralizing major decisions while empowering regional managers to execute plans locally.
• Scalability: As the company expands, this structure ensures flexibility for future regional expansions without sacrificing operational control.

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Slide 6: Motivating Employees – Overview

• Problem: High turnover rates due to lack of clear promotion paths and engagement.
• Solution: Introduce a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic motivators to ensure long-term employee satisfaction.

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Slide 7: Extrinsic Motivation Strategies

• Promotions & Career Path Development: Create clear paths to promotion, utilizing Expectancy Theory.
  • Expectancy Theory: Reward desirable behaviors (high performance) with promotions or bonuses, linking effort to outcomes.
  • Incentive Programs: Bonuses, profit-sharing, or stock options tied to the company’s performance and individual contributions.
• Workplace Environment: Provide a positive, structured work environment that encourages achievement.
• Recognition Programs: Award employees for hitting milestones or achieving sales targets.

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Slide 8: Intrinsic Motivation Strategies

• Autonomy & Responsibility: Offer employees more autonomy in their roles and opportunities for skill development.
  • Empowerment: Employees take ownership of their tasks and projects, boosting intrinsic motivation.
• Purpose and Meaning: Connect employees’ work to the broader goals of the company, especially in the context of global expansion and growth.
  • Work Alignment: Employees who feel their work aligns with Quenchbliss’s mission are more motivated.
• Employee Development Programs: Continuous learning and growth opportunities (e.g., leadership training, mentorship).

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Slide 9: Motivational Theory Applied to Quenchbliss

• Most Relevant Theory: Expectancy Theory (Vroom)
  • Why It Applies: Employees are motivated when they perceive a clear relationship between their efforts and the rewards (promotion, bonuses, recognition).
  • Application: Quenchbliss should ensure that high performers are rewarded with promotions and increased responsibilities, demonstrating the connection between effort and reward.
• Additional Theory: Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan)
  • Why It Applies: Focuses on intrinsic motivation. Quenchbliss needs to foster a work environment that enhances employees’ intrinsic motivation by offering autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
  • Application: Employee development programs and aligning work with personal values will help improve employee satisfaction and retention.

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Slide 10: Action Plan for Organizational Restructuring

1. Define Clear Career Paths: Implement clear guidelines for promotions and advancement.
2. Create New Job Roles: Based on expansion goals, hire region-specific managers.
3. Introduce Incentive Systems: Develop bonus programs tied to individual and company performance.
4. Training and Development: Focus on building leadership within the company to prepare employees for the expansion.

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Slide 11: Action Plan for Motivational Strategies

1. Launch a Formal Recognition Program: Award employees for their achievements and reinforce the connection between performance and rewards.
2. Provide Continuous Learning Opportunities: Offer leadership and development programs for all employees.
3. Increase Autonomy and Responsibility: Give employees more control over their roles and responsibilities to increase engagement.

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Slide 12: Conclusion

• Summary: To facilitate growth and reduce turnover, Quenchbliss needs a more structured and hierarchical organization, with clear paths for promotion and motivation strategies that balance extrinsic and intrinsic factors.
• Next Steps: Implementing the proposed structure and motivational strategies will set Quenchbliss on a path toward sustained growth, higher employee satisfaction, and successful market expansion.

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Slide 13: Q&A

• Invite Questions: Open the floor for questions and discussion.

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This structure will guide Quenchbliss through its transition to a more effective organization, ensuring it has the right motivational tools in place to retain talent while scaling its operations across new countries.

Suppose that you are the HR manager for a company. The judge in a current law suit by a former employee has ordered mandatory pre-suit mediation. Your boss is unfamiliar with mediation and she asks you to advise her as to several issues regarding the upcoming mediation. Draft a memo thoroughly discussing, at minimum, the following questions:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of mediation? Is it likely to be successful? Is it likely to make the parties more or less hostile toward one another? How do the costs in terms of time and money compare with litigation?
If your boss has no interest in mediation, does she really have to be there? Can she send her attorney instead? If so, are there any conflicts of interest with respect to attorney advocate representation of which she should be aware?
Must the company actually participate in the mediation? Can your boss (or her attorney) just sit there and refuse to speak?
If your boss (or her attorney) does decide to engage in dialogue during the mediation, what are the risks concerning information that might be disclosed? If the mediation fails, can the former employee use such information at trial?
Although this assignment is completed in Week 3, students should refer to information in Lessons 3, 4, and 7 for relevant information.
Submission Instructions:
This assignment should at a minimum contain 1,000 words of content (there are four parts, so this is ~250 words each). Word count does not include headings, cover pages, references, or question text (if you choose to include it in your paper); I am looking for 1,000 words of substance. Your paper should be in APA format including a properly formatted cover page (abstracts are optional) and a reference page with at least three (3) NEW references (“new” here means references that you have not already used in previous assignments in this course). Providing additional references to your assignments demonstrates your desire to conduct additional research on the topic area, and can improve your research skills.
With all assignments, include properly formatted in-text citations within the body of your work for each of your listed references so the reader can ascertain your original thoughts or ideas as well as the portion of your work that is credited to credible sources. It is very important to identify work from other sources to ensure that proper credit is provided to researchers in the field. This assignment uses Turn It In for originality verification.
Submit the weekly written assignment as an MS Word attachment (.doc or .docx format). A recommended font is 12pt Times New Roman.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Writing this memo requires you to break it down into manageable steps. Here’s a detailed, step-by-step guide to help you structure and write your paper effectively:

Step 1: Understand the Purpose of the Memo

You are drafting a memo to advise your boss on the upcoming mediation. The memo needs to address several questions regarding the advantages, disadvantages, and processes involved in mediation, and how it compares to litigation. Understanding each question is crucial to developing clear, well-supported responses. The goal is to educate your boss, provide a balanced view, and offer practical advice.

Step 2: Analyze the Questions

The assignment outlines several questions you must cover in your memo. It is important to address each question thoroughly, providing a detailed analysis of the topic.

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of mediation?
  Research the benefits (such as cost and time savings) and drawbacks (such as limited enforcement power or risk of non-resolution) of mediation.
• Is mediation likely to be successful?
  This involves discussing the circumstances where mediation works well and factors that could influence its success.
• Is mediation likely to make the parties more or less hostile toward one another?
  Explore whether mediation generally improves relationships between the parties or exacerbates conflicts.
• How do the costs in terms of time and money compare with litigation?
  Discuss the cost-effectiveness of mediation in comparison to the potentially higher costs and longer timeframes of litigation.
• Does your boss need to be present? Can she send an attorney instead?
  This requires researching the requirements for a company’s representation in mediation and any potential conflicts of interest with attorney representation.
• Must the company participate in mediation? Can your boss refuse to speak?
  Look into the legal obligations surrounding participation in mediation, and what could happen if your boss or attorney remains silent.
• What are the risks regarding information disclosed during the mediation?
  Identify risks related to confidentiality, such as whether information shared in mediation could be used later in court if the mediation fails.

Step 3: Research and Gather Sources

Next, conduct research to support each part of the memo. You will need to find at least three new references (these should be articles, books, or other credible sources that have not been used in your previous assignments). Be sure to:

• Use academic or legal sources that provide reliable, evidence-based information.
• Gather references on topics like mediation processes, its advantages and disadvantages, cost comparisons with litigation, and ethical/legal considerations during mediation.

Step 4: Structure Your Memo

The memo should be clearly structured with distinct headings for each question. Here’s how you can organize the content:

1. Introduction:
   Briefly introduce the purpose of the memo and outline the topics you will cover.
2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Mediation:
   Discuss both sides of mediation—its benefits and drawbacks.
3. Likelihood of Mediation Success:
   Offer insights on when mediation is likely to succeed, supported by examples or case studies.
4. Impact on Hostility Between Parties:
   Address whether mediation tends to reduce or increase hostility, providing arguments for both sides.
5. Cost Comparison with Litigation:
   Present a comparison of costs, including time and financial considerations.
6. Required Participation in Mediation:
   Clarify your boss’s role in the mediation process, and if she can send an attorney instead.
7. Information Disclosure Risks:
   Discuss the risks of revealing too much information during the mediation process.
8. Conclusion:
   Summarize the key points and offer your recommendation regarding participation in the mediation process.

Step 5: Write the Memo

Now that you have a clear structure, start writing the memo. For each section:

• Be concise, clear, and factual.
• Use APA in-text citations to credit your sources within the body of your work.
• Maintain a formal, professional tone throughout the memo.

Step 6: Format Your Paper

Ensure the paper follows proper APA format:

• Title page: Include the title of your memo, your name, course title, and date.
• References: List your sources on a separate page in APA format.
• Use in-text citations wherever you mention information from your sources.

Step 7: Review and Edit

Once you have written the memo, review it for clarity, coherence, and completeness. Check for any grammatical or spelling errors. Ensure you have:

• Addressed all the questions.
• Cited all sources correctly.
• Met the word count requirement of 1,000 words (excluding cover page, references, and question text).

Step 8: Submit Your Paper

After reviewing, finalize your paper and submit it according to the course instructions. Be sure to check the word count to ensure that you’ve met the requirement and that everything is formatted correctly.

Prepare a 3–4-page report on how you plan to approach employee talent development, employee success, retention, and the employee experience issues with viable recommendations for solutions.
Expand All
Assessment Introduction
What is the employee experience from the employee’s perspective? The employee experience is when an employee considers their work more than just a job. Employers hope for that possibility, even though it is unlikely every employee in the organization will attain a high level of enjoyment from their work and their work environment. The employee perspective means pride in their employment and a passion for what they do, whom they do it with, and respect for their organizational leadership.
We have arrived at a time in history where talent matters and retaining that talent is not a simple or inexpensive process. Employees today desire a great deal more than employees have in the past. Work has become more important to employees than ever before. Expectations for dynamic, interesting work and a work environment that enhances the process of work grows ever greater each year. The workplace takes up the vast majority of an employee’s life, and this previously accepted tradition of work not being fun or even tolerable has been rejected. In addition, the idea that an employee’s career is for them to manage may be true, but management can make that a great deal more exciting and productive if the pathways to success are clear and available.
Scenario
You are an HR professional at a large teaching hospital with responsibility for the areas of employee talent development and employee experience (sometimes called employee perspective). The hospital’s mission is to integrate a broad spectrum of clinical care, teaching, and research, with special emphasis on the health of children and their families, for two states on the east coast of the United States.
Recently, you have observed high rates of turnover across a number of occupations. Licensed practical nurses, radiologist technicians, surgical technicians, pharmacy technicians, medical assistants, laboratory technicians, and dietitian assistants are at the top of the list of people your hospital cannot keep. You have been conducting exit interviews and talking to current employees about what the areas of concern are that could be influencing the high rate of turnover.
As it turns out, another hospital in the area that has been aggressively recruiting new employees. The hospital is associated with a medical school and an external physician assistance program. They are using a completely new employee experience approach that includes:
Advancement opportunities through joint university and technical certification programs.
Cross-field rotations.
Tuition assistance.
Scholarship programs for entry into the physician assistant program.
Work time for physical fitness.
Co-located complimentary daycare for second and third shift staff.
A gourmet cafeteria.
These benefits are part of what the private hospital calls a comprehensive work-life career-investment program for employees. Your institution has a legacy cafeteria and nothing that mirrors the other hospital’s employee experience program. Additionally, recent engagement surveys indicate that employees are not getting the career guidance from team leaders and supervisors that they think they should. Several surveys of employees found that they felt they are not valued or considered part of the organization and that “only doctors and RNs really mattered.”
Your Challenge
This assessment examines how to assess the effectiveness of employee talent development and employee experience (employee perspective). Consider the challenging conditions that you would face in the situation presented.
What would your next step be in confronting the HR challenge faced by the hospital from a competitive standpoint? Should you present the differences between your hospital and its competitor’s programs to your supervisors or even the hospital director? If yes, why, and how would you go about that? If not, what would your rationale be for your decision?
What research would you do? Making the type of changes that the other hospital made is a major effort in cost and from an organizational culture and employee-valuing perspective.
What challenges might you face from your own HR director? From medical staff leaders and others? The cost of current turnover is coming close to 15% of yearly salary for some positions, and the loss of institutional knowledge is affecting treatment quality, according to a panel of physicians and nursing staff.
What new and different programs might be introduced into the organization to improve the employee experience considering the scope of challenges that were discussed in the introduction?
Your job in this assessment is to use the guidance from above to prepare a report for your supervisors on how you plan to approach the employee talent development and employee experience (employee perspective) problems with viable recommendations for solutions. Please provide at least six academic, scholarly, or professional resources from the Capella University Library.
Assessment Instructions
Prepare a 3–4-page report that states your recommended course of action. Along with your recommendation, include the following:
Analyze, from a competitive standpoint, how proposed recommendations address the HR challenge faced by the hospital.
What is the scope of the differences between your hospital and its competitor?
What would it take to emulate the competitor’s programs?
Describe key factors considered to support the major effort and cost it would take to enact changes in organizational culture, which could be embraced by employees.
What challenges would be faced by trying to emulate the competitor’s programs?
What would the risks be by not addressing the differences between your hospital and its competitor?
Explain how to mitigate cost of current turnover and the loss of institutional knowledge that is affecting treatment quality.
What is causing the turnover?
What actions can you take to address the issue?
Describe programs you would introduce to improve the employee experience.
What are the different parts of your programs?
What are they intended to do?
Review the HR Challenge: The Employee Experience – Pathways to Employee Success and Retention Scoring Guide to see the criteria by which your assessment will be evaluated. Before submitting your assessment for evaluation, review your draft in Turnitin to check your use of source material.
Submission Requirements
The deliverable for this assessment applies professional skills in Human Resources Management (HRM) to workplace situations which you will likely encounter in your day-to-day work in HRM. As part of your learning, we focus on the development of effective professional communication skills for the workplace. Your assessment should meet the following additional requirements:
Length: Your plan should be 3–4 typed, double-spaced pages, not including the cover and resources pages.
The first page should be a cover sheet with your name, the course number, assessment title, and date. No other information is required on this page.
The last page should be the reference list.
Organization: Make sure that your assessment writing is well-organized, using headings and subheadings to organize content for the reader.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12-point font.
Resources: Use a minimum of six references from academic, scholarly, or professional publications.
Evidence: Support your assertions with data and in-text citations.
APA formatting: Resources and in-text citations are formatted according to current Evidence and APA guidelines.
Written communication:
Support main points and recommendations with relevant and credible evidence.
Address the appropriate audience, using familiar, discipline-specific language and terminology.
Use spell-check and other tools to ensure correct spelling and grammar.
Consider adding this assessment to your ePortfolio.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies:
Competency 1: Develop strategic recruiting approaches and selection methods to support an organization’s talent goals.
Analyze, from a competitive standpoint, how proposed recommendations address the HR challenge faced by the hospital.
Describe key factors considered to support the major effort and cost it would take to enact changes in organizational culture, which could be embraced by employees.
Competency 2: Apply talent mobility practices for an organization.
Describe programs you would introduce to improve the employee experience.
Competency 3: Examine approaches to workforce planning to determine present and future talent needs.
Explain how to mitigate cost of current turnover and the loss of institutional knowledge that is affecting treatment quality.
Competency 5: Communicate clearly, accurately, and professionally for the HR field.
Support main points and recommendations with relevant and credible evidence.
Address the appropriate audience, using familiar, discipline-specific language and terminology.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

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Step-by-Step Guide for Developing a Talent Development and Employee Experience Strategy

1. Understand the HR Challenge: The task is to create a report addressing employee talent development, retention, and the overall employee experience in a hospital. The hospital is experiencing high turnover in various occupations, and a competitor has a comprehensive work-life career-investment program that is attracting employees. Your report should evaluate the hospital’s situation, propose recommendations, and analyze the competitive landscape.
2. Research the Competitor’s Approach: Begin by researching the competitor’s employee experience programs in detail:
   • Advancement opportunities through certifications.
   • Cross-field rotations.
   • Tuition assistance and scholarships.
   • Work-time for physical fitness and daycare services.
   • Gourmet cafeteria.

   Use scholarly or professional articles to validate these approaches and assess how they have impacted the competitor’s employee retention and satisfaction.

3. Analyze the Hospital’s Current State: Assess the hospital’s existing employee experience and talent development programs. Highlight the gaps between the hospital and its competitor. Use employee surveys, feedback from exit interviews, and any internal data to identify why employees feel undervalued or unappreciated. Address the concern that “only doctors and RNs really mattered” and how this perception might contribute to turnover.
4. Propose Solutions: In your report, propose the following:
   • Employee Development Programs: Implement joint university and technical certification programs, cross-field rotations, or mentorship programs.
   • Career Guidance: Introduce regular career planning sessions between employees and supervisors to provide clear career pathways.
   • Work-Life Balance: Provide work-time for physical fitness, daycare facilities for second and third shift employees, and wellness programs.
   • Enhanced Employee Benefits: Consider adding or upgrading benefits such as tuition assistance or a gourmet cafeteria to increase employee satisfaction.

   Justify each recommendation with supporting research or examples from the competitor or similar healthcare settings.

5. Competitive Analysis: From a competitive standpoint, compare the two hospitals’ programs and assess the gaps:
   • How do the proposed changes address the hospital’s current HR challenges?
   • What would it take to emulate the competitor’s programs (e.g., cost, resources, time)?
   • Identify potential barriers in terms of organizational culture, budget, and leadership buy-in.
6. Analyze the Risks: Consider the risks of not addressing the issue:
   • High turnover will continue, leading to escalating costs (15% of annual salaries).
   • Loss of institutional knowledge can negatively impact patient care.
   • Employees may feel increasingly disengaged, resulting in reduced productivity and morale.
7. Cost and Implementation Considerations: Discuss how you would mitigate turnover costs:
   • Conduct retention interviews to gather further insights.
   • Create a step-by-step plan to implement the new programs, with a clear timeline, cost breakdown, and ROI estimates.
   • Assess how changes in organizational culture can be made incrementally, so employees feel involved and valued during the transition.
8. Challenges to Implementation: Be mindful of possible resistance from key stakeholders:
   • HR Director/Medical Staff: They might resist the cost or the disruption of current workflows. Provide data showing the long-term benefits of these programs.
   • Leadership Buy-In: Show how these changes align with the hospital’s mission and can positively affect recruitment and retention in the long term.
   • Budget Constraints: Suggest phased implementation, starting with the most cost-effective changes, like mentorship programs or flexible work hours.
9. Provide Clear Recommendations: Your recommendations should include:
   • A detailed analysis of the hospital’s current state.
   • A description of what the competitor is doing and the benefits of emulating some of their programs.
   • A breakdown of key initiatives to improve employee experience and retention.
   • Actionable steps for HR leaders to implement the changes and overcome challenges.
10. Use Data and Research: Support your claims with evidence from at least six scholarly or professional resources. These can include studies on employee engagement, retention, work-life balance, or HR best practices.
11. Format and Submission:
    • Length: 3-4 pages (not including the cover and references).
    • Font: Times New Roman, 12-point font.
    • References: Minimum of six academic, scholarly, or professional sources.
    • APA Formatting: Ensure that all citations and references follow the latest APA guidelines.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to draft a well-organized, thorough report that addresses the HR challenge while providing strategic, actionable recommendations.

The class began with a discussion of at-will employment being the foundation principle of the employment relationship. The rest of the course complicated this principle by providing numerous exceptions. Based on your reading throughout the course, provide some best practice information about the ways that employers can protect themselves from lawsuits. Please go beyond stating that the employer should follow the law.

MGMT314: Week #8 Paper:
INCLUDE AN ABSTRACT
Body of your paper: 5-6 page Paper
For this assignment, you should focus on the reading material for weeks 1-7. Also, use our library to support your positions.
The body of your paper: (5-6 Pages total in length)- Show me that you are attempting to support your thoughts with key material from our reading material AND outside sources:
Answer the following five questions:
1. What are some of the most common forms of unethical behavior in our workforce today? How could leadership in organizations help to minimize this ethical misconduct? Explain and support your positions with relevant course content and outside sources.
2. As our businesses have developed over the last 100 plus years, have our modern day businesses evolved to be more ethical today? What are some of the factors that helped you come to your conclusion? Take a position and support your thoughts.
3. Would you describe the financial meltdown in our 2007-2008 financial markets as a failure of “people” or of our “capital market processes”? Why? Support your thoughts with ethical theory and examples. Use our library for added research if needed.
4. Tell me about why diversity and discrimination are two important ethical factors that leaders should focus on while attempting to manage their workforce? Provide one example of how mismanaging these issues have had an impact on an organization. How would you explain the importance of these to your employees?
5. Are corporate outreach and company sponsored volunteer programs a good idea for organizations to implement? Why? From an ethical leadership perspective, why would you choose OR not choose to implement these programs? Use course theory and specific examples to support your conclusion.

please see attached document for instruction
please let me know if you have any questions
attached also the PDF

Over the past eight weeks, we covered the various modules that you will find within an HRIS systems, as well as the benefits to both the organization and employees alike while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the human resources department. You will prepare a paper in APA format, a minimum of 5 pages (1 page for each topic) on the following trends in HRIS:
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Human Resources
The Digital Workforce Experience
HR Analytics and the role of HRIS in the process
Working in the Metaverse
The Use of Biometric Systems in Managing Employees
In your summary and conclusion, make sure you include recommendations or guidance for organizations on preparing and embracing these trends.
Some additional guidance…
Your title page, references, and any attachments are not included in the page count.
Explanation of Word Requirement: 1 page on each topic equates to 350 words. The quality of your content is important and what will earn you the grade but failure to meet the word count could result in point loss for the content element on the rubric. It was determined that the minimum word count to address each topic effectively is 350 words. Of course, these are topics which can go way beyond the word count, and you are welcome to do so, but this requirement will give you the opportunity to synthesize, articulate, and apply the concepts — which is needed to assess your level of learning.
Do not forget your introduction, conclusion, or your reference page; however, an abstract is not required.
Save your paper as Last Name_Week2_HRMT415.doc (e.g. Smith_Week8_HRMT415.doc).
You will use a minimum of 5 sources with 3 of those sources being peer reviewed. You can, of course, use more.

Conduct a quick Google search, choose a current Fortune 500 company (different from your Week 4 Assignment), and in at least 1,000 words (total) answer the following four questions.
What, if anything, can you glean from publicly available information about the company’s use of variable pay versus fixed pay structures? (If the company does not offer publicly available pay information, you might try looking at employee review sites like glassdoor.com to try to get a sense of pay information). Does the company offer incentive pay based on performance? If so, what are the criteria for such incentives? If you were in charge of Human Resources and Workforce Management for the company you selected, how would you approach their pay strategy? Identify at least one thing you like or one thing you would recommend changing about the way the company is doing things now. Be sure to support your decisions with sound reasoning.
What, if anything, does the company offer in terms of employee development programs? Do they offer tuition reimbursement or some other type of professional development assistance? If so, what kinds of programs qualify and how much do they cover? If you were in charge of Human Resources and Workforce Management for the company you selected, how would you approach employee development strategy? Identify at least one thing you like or one thing you would recommend changing about the way the company is doing things now. Be sure to support your decisions with sound reasoning.
What, if anything, does the company offer in terms of flexible schedules or work conditions? Do they support remote working? Or Flex Time? Or the ROWE? If so, how do these initiatives work at the company? If not, are flexible models like these feasible (at least for some jobs) in the industry in which the company operates? If you were in charge of Human Resources and Workforce Management for the company you selected, how would you approach flexible work paradigms? Identify at least one thing you like or one thing you would recommend changing about the way the company is doing things now. Be sure to support your decisions with sound reasoning.
What, if anything, can you glean from publicly available information about the way in which the company considers competencies and credentials in determining pay rates? (If the company does not offer publicly available pay information, you might try looking at employee review sites like glassdoor.com to try to get a sense of pay information). Do they publish salary ranges or engage in pay transparency in any way? Do competencies appear to be a factor in pay decisions? If you were in charge of Human Resources and Workforce Management for the company you selected, how would you approach competency-based pay strategy? Identify at least one thing you like or one thing you would recommend changing about the way the company is doing things now. Be sure to support your decisions with sound reasoning.
Again, the reason why you are asked to choose a Fortune 500 company is that you are much more likely to find publicly available information for these very large companies insofar as it concerns the parameters of this assignment. Still, some big companies are a bit shy about publishing data related to the way they do things – examples commonly include salary ranges and human resources policies and procedures. That said, do the best you can with your research. A good idea, before choosing a company for this assignment, is to take a look at some different company options and assess how much data is available for you – this will ultimately determine how easy it will be to find the answers you need to guide your work.
The 1,000 word requirement here means 1,000 words of substance. So please do not count title pages, headings, or references. Also, if you choose to copy the question text into your paper (which is fine), do not count that either. I am looking for 1,000 words of your own thoughts and responses.
Since you must write at least 1,000 words, it would be my recommendation that you aim for (roughly) 250 words for each of four questions. (4 * 250 = 1,000)
Your paper should also include a minimum of four (4) sources (one for each of the questions) – properly cited in-text and in a reference list in APA format.
Your paper should be in proper APA format with a title page (no abstract required). Please double-space and use a readable 12pt font. Contrary to popular misunderstanding, first-person writing is acceptable in APA writing style. So you may use first-person perspective where applicable and appropriate.
IMPORTANT: Do not plagiarize. This assignment uses TurnItIn.com for originality verification. If you copy/paste from other sources, you may receive a zero.

The instructions and structure of the report are in the pictures below, the textbook and some pdf sources are provided as well. Just follow the instruction to write the report. Thank you!!!