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CASE STUDY ANALYSIS RUBRIC A case study analysis requires you to investigate a business problem, examine the alternative solutions, and propose the most effective solution using supporting evidence

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CASE STUDY ANALYSIS RUBRIC A case study analysis requires you to investigate a business problem, examine the alternative solutions, and propose the most effective solution using supporting evidence. Just responding to a case study set of questions is not optimal nor will it Preparing the Case - Before you begin writing, follow these guidelines to help you prepare and understand the case study: 1. Read and Examine the Case Thoroughly o Take notes, highlight relevant facts, underline key problems. 2. Focus Your Analysis o Identify two to five key problems. o Why do they exist? o How do they impact the organization? o Who is responsible for them? 3. Uncover Possible Solutions/Changes Needed o Review course readings, discussions, outside research, your experience. 4. Select the Best Solution o Consider strong supporting evidence, pros, and cons. Is this solution realistic? Drafting the Case - Once you have gathered the necessary information, a draft of your analysis should include these general sections, but these may differ depending on your assignment directions or your specific case study: 1. Introduction o Identify the key problems and issues in the case study. o Formulate and include a thesis statement, summarizing the outcome of your analysis in 1–2 sentences. 2. Background o Set the scene: background information, relevant facts, and the most important issues. o Demonstrate that you have researched the problems in this case study. 3. Evaluation of the Case o Outline the various pieces of the case study that you are focusing on. o Evaluate these pieces by discussing what is working and what is not working. o State why these parts of the case study are or are not working well. 4. Proposed Solution/Changes o Provide specific and realistic solution(s) or changes needed. o Explain why this solution was chosen. o Support this solution with solid evidence, such as: § Concepts from class (text readings, discussions, lectures) § Outside research § Personal experience (anecdotes) 5. Recommendations o Determine and discuss specific strategies for accomplishing the proposed solution. o If applicable, recommend further action to resolve some of the issues. o What should be done and who should do it? Finalizing the Case - After you have composed the first draft of your case study analysis, read through it to check for any gaps or inconsistencies in content or structure: • • • Is your thesis statement clear and direct? Have you provided solid evidence? Is any component from the analysis missing? When you make the necessary revisions, proofread and edit your analysis before submitting the final draft 1 What is a Case Study? A case study analysis requires you to investigate a business problem, examine the alternative solutions, and propose the most effective solution using supportive evidence. A case study should include background information on the specific topic, an analysis of the case under student showing problems or effective strategies, as well as recommendations. A case study can focus on a business or entire industry, a specific project or program, or a person. Format your paper according to your assignment instructions: APA, MLA, Chicago Style The following sample includes APA-style citations and references. *Adapted by the Writing Center from original paper by Aimee Garten. Used by permission. The introduction of your case study should introduce the business, industry, project, or person that is represented in your study. 2 An Analysis of Human Resources Practices at Starbucks Coffee Company The thesis should state the Organizations must perform at reliable and successful levels to stay in business. proposed solution to the problem you have determined One indicator of organizational performance is its human resources outcomes. To be or state the general assessment of the case being studied. competitive in a global marketplace, a large multinational organization should manage human resources as strategically as any other division or department. Starbucks is an example of strong human resources strategy coupled with logistical planning and effective management. It serves as a strong example for all large organizations to model human resources upon. Overall Human Resources Strategies Human capital is a large investment for any organization. Management of this capital is a necessary task to ensure strong return on the investment. Human resource Section 1: The first section of the case study should management requires discuss the background of the strong strategy to organization, industry, or program. effectively and efficiently achieve goals, objectives, and – in turn – better performance. The strategy, management program, and all other human resource activity are then required to determine relevant dimensions of performance and the impact on the company’s success (Cania, 2014). Starbucks, a Seattle-based global coffee company, follows a mission to “inspire and nurture the human spirit: one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time” (Starbucks, 2015, para. 4). The company fulfils this mission through ethical sourcing of product, environmentally friendly processes and recycling practices, and employee service in the community. After the era of Great Recession, the company launched a new motto: “Great Coffee Everywhere” and grew to include international locations and athome products. This growth also included the acquisition of the La Boulange, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Tazo, Evolution Fresh, and Teavana brands. With large competitors like 3 Dunkin’ Donuts and new start-up Joyride, Starbucks is poised to be a leader in the next generation of coffee shops or be left behind as an outdated relic (Sacks, 2014). Unlike most large companies, employees of Starbucks are called “partners” and are encouraged to join young and build a career with the organization. Human resources are handled by Starbucks’ “Partner Resources Department” with 500 employees serving roles in staffing, learning and development, compensation and benefits, organizational development, and partner services (Starbucks, n.d.). Researchers Korschun, Bhattacharya, and Swain (2014) describe the engaged employee’s impact on the brand as follows: Employees who identify with the organization will adopt suggested workplace behaviors and be motivated to support the company’s products and brands. Yet prior research also prompts us to suggest that this effect will be mediated by the employee’s customer orientation. Identification is known to encourage behaviors that benefit the collective. Thus, the more an employee identifies with the organization, the more he or she will seek opportunities to contribute to company performance. Because serving customers’ needs is a key way that frontline employees help the company maintain and deepen relationships with those customers, such employees may view their own efforts to contribute to customer loyalty as helping drive long-term organizational success. (p. 24). To remain competitive in the coffee and food-and-beverage marketplace, Starbucks needs to keep its partners happy and the public coming back for more. Here, the author ties her evaluations of the case to theories or research. What theory can you use as support to show that your case study has a problem, or is an effective practice? Sections 2-4: 4 the writer In the following three sections, focuses on several key points or operations about the case. It isn’t enough to simply state what is working or what is not working. You need to support this with evidence from theories, experts, or examples. Recruiting Practices Recruitment processes are an important part of any human resources strategy. Economic crisis, market booms, natural disasters, and other unforeseen occurrences should not send the hiring and firing process into a tailspin. Instead, organizations should have strong plans to weather any literal or metaphorical storm. Long-term vision should include anticipation of the need for new hires, job specificity, strong candidate pools, logical assessment of candidates, securing the best talent, integrating new hires, and reviewing processes for efficiency and efficacy (Fernandez-Araoz, et al., 2009). Though Starbucks responded to the recent recession with slashed jobs and closed locations, later efforts focused on long-term goals and recruitment strategy. The “Starbucks College Achievement Plan” was recently launched, offering free college education through Arizona State University Online to all partners, including part-time Be sure to include an evaluation of each key point of the case. employees (Starbucks, n.d.). Training Structure Business failures can sometimes be solved through training to develop new skills, refine efficiency, and instruct staff on new policies, procedures, and tools. Issues frequently trigger training but training efforts should always trigger business results (Castaldi, 2012). When a large mistake, error, or need for improvement arises, not every company is prepared to make improvements. As a large successful company, Starbucks has more resources available to take staff out of their daily work and place them in training sessions. Investment in training needs assessment and training sessions themselves may be daunting for small companies; however, an organization operating in 5 more flexible environments can reap the rewards (van Eerde, et.al., 2008). As an example of a luxurious training session, Starbucks took their entire work force off the line for a three-hour barista training event, focused on making perfect espresso, in the middle of the Here again, the author is presenting economic meltdown of 2008 (MacDonald, 2008). Most retail outlets would steer clear of a door-closing event during busy open hours. Starbucks, be greater than the risk. an evaluation of this particular practice of this company. The author however, deemed thetheory reward also uses or to research to support her evaluation. Organizational Effectiveness Starbucks has a strong human resources strategy and management system. This has led to high organizational effectiveness in the industry, stemming in part from successful employee engagement. Positive employee engagement leads to a psychological climate, cultural attitude, and set of employee behaviors that positively impact an organization from top to bottom (Kataria, et al., 2013). Therefore, it is safe to say that Starbucks’ Partner Resources has had positive effect on the organization as a whole. Solutions Solutions In a recent article, food editor Bret Thorn (2014) described the If your case study focuses on a problem within the company or project, you would include a section on your proposed solution. “starbucksification” of Dunkin’ Donuts. While a donut shop is not, specifically, Be sure to both present your competition for a coffee shop, customers are loyal to the coffees solution and to also present theory or research to support your made by each solution. establishment. This includes the spread of Dunkin’ Donuts to wider regions across the United States with larger retailing of their coffee products. What theory, expert, or example can you use as support to show that Like Starbucks, Dunkin’ your proposed solution would work? Donuts offers K-Cup and ground coffee in supermarkets and convenience stores around the world. In this section, the writer is showing a comparison of her case study to a case study from a competitor. 6 Like Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts (n.d.) recruits online, focusing on entry-level employees who seek career mobility. Unlike Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts has only 7,500 storefronts in just 40 states. Each location is a franchise with unique local business owners running daily operations. Dunkin’ Brands, Inc. is the corporate entity and also owns the Baskin Robbins ice cream shop chain. Corporate headquarters boasts free coffee, donuts, and ice cream at corporate offices along with fitness centers, electric car charging stations, and half-day Fridays (Dunkin’ Donuts). This cannot be said for employees of franchised locations. Without the central mission, homogenous culture, and overall size of Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts cannot provide a bold and uniform human resources management system for all employees. This gives Starbucks the competitive edge for recruiting from the common pool of potential employees. With more money to spend, Starbucks has more to offer in terms of investment in human capital. Thus, Starbucks has the edge. Conclusion Employers ask employees to work hard, be pleasant, and show results. The investment of time and money into human resources can, and will, pay off in positive organization outcomes if a strategic management system is in place and well-used. Seattle-based Starbucks has been an example of success through strategic human resource management through good times and bad. Its practices, though occasionally flawed, show an overwhelmingly successful model of large company investment in human capital. The conclusion is where you wrap up your take-away points for your reader. Here, you may also present the significance of your case study. Why is this valuable? 7 References Cania, L. (2014). The Impact of Strategic Human Resource Management on Organizational Performance. Economia: Seria Management 17(2), 373-383. Castaldi, J. (2012). Constructing a Business Case for Training: Cause, Coincidence, or Correlation?. T+D, 66(6), 32-34. Dunkin’ Donuts. (n.d.) Come Run with Dunkin’. http://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dunkindonuts/en/ddcareers.html Fernández-Aráoz, C., Groysberg, B., & Nohria, N. (2009). The Definitive Guide to Recruiting in Good Times and Bad. Harvard Business Review, 87(5), 74-84. Kataria, A., Rastogi, R., & Garg, P. (2013). Organizational Effectiveness as a Function of Employee Engagement. South Asian Journal of Management, 20(4), 56-73. Korschun, D., Bhattacharya, C. B., & Swain, S. D. (2014). Corporate Social Responsibility, Customer Orientation, and the Job Performance of Frontline Employees. Journal of Marketing, 78(3), 20-37. MacDonald, N. (2008). Starbucks goes back to coffee camp. Maclean's, 121(10), 44. Marler, J. H. (2012). Strategic Human Resource Management in Context: A Historical and Global Perspective. Academy Of Management Perspectives, 26(2), 6-11. Sacks, D. (2014). Brewing the perfect Cup. Fast Company, (188), 86-104. Starbucks. (2015). Starbucks Company Profile. http://globalassets.starbucks.com/assets/4286be0614af48b6bf2e17ffcede5ab7.pdf Starbucks. (n.d.). Supplier Diversity Program. http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/sourcing/suppliers 8 Starbucks Career Center. (2015). Career Center: Working at Starbucks, Military & Spouses – Serve with Us, Starbucks College Achievement Plan, Our Brands. http://www.starbucks.com/careers Thorn, B. (2014). The Starbucksification of Dunkin' Donuts. Nation's Restaurant News, 48(19), 110. van Eerde, W., Tang, K. S., & Talbot, G. (2008). The mediating role of training utility in the relationship between training needs assessment and organizational effectiveness. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 19(1), 6373. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190701763917 CASE STUDY ANALYSIS RUBRIC A case study analysis requires you to investigate a business problem, examine the alternative solutions, and propose the most effective solution using supporting evidence. Just responding to a case study set of questions is not optimal nor will it Preparing the Case - Before you begin writing, follow these guidelines to help you prepare and understand the case study: 1. Read and Examine the Case Thoroughly o Take notes, highlight relevant facts, underline key problems. 2. Focus Your Analysis o Identify two to five key problems. o Why do they exist? o How do they impact the organization? o Who is responsible for them? 3. Uncover Possible Solutions/Changes Needed o Review course readings, discussions, outside research, your experience. 4. Select the Best Solution o Consider strong supporting evidence, pros, and cons. Is this solution realistic? Drafting the Case - Once you have gathered the necessary information, a draft of your analysis should include these general sections, but these may differ depending on your assignment directions or your specific case study: 1. Introduction o Identify the key problems and issues in the case study. o Formulate and include a thesis statement, summarizing the outcome of your analysis in 1–2 sentences. 2. Background o Set the scene: background information, relevant facts, and the most important issues. o Demonstrate that you have researched the problems in this case study. 3. Evaluation of the Case o Outline the various pieces of the case study that you are focusing on. o Evaluate these pieces by discussing what is working and what is not working. o State why these parts of the case study are or are not working well. 4. Proposed Solution/Changes o Provide specific and realistic solution(s) or changes needed. o Explain why this solution was chosen. o Support this solution with solid evidence, such as: § Concepts from class (text readings, discussions, lectures) § Outside research § Personal experience (anecdotes) 5. Recommendations o Determine and discuss specific strategies for accomplishing the proposed solution. o If applicable, recommend further action to resolve some of the issues. o What should be done and who should do it? Finalizing the Case - After you have composed the first draft of your case study analysis, read through it to check for any gaps or inconsistencies in content or structure: • • • Is your thesis statement clear and direct? Have you provided solid evidence? Is any component from the analysis missing? When you make the necessary revisions, proofread and edit your analysis before submitting the final draft LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: CASES FOR ANALYSIS Commissions for Charlotte Doris Ann Riley, the head of HR for King Conductors, was amused by the conversation drift- ing over the planter that separated the two booths in the employee cafeteria. She recognized the voices on the other side as those of Pete Morris, Carter Henry, and Rachael Parker. The three were involved in a heated discussion about the opening of the NFL season one week away and the continued holdout of the local team's star quarterback. "Hey, if he can hold out for a $50 million dollar contract, I say more power to him. He's worth it," Pete announced "I say ..." "The guy already has millions," Rachael cut in. "He got it last year as a rookie, for heaven's sake. He's a selfish jerk. His selfishness is making everyone, the fans, the owner, probably the other players, angry." "Yeah, and what about those other players who have been there, winning games for us for years?" Carter asked. “They get us in the playoffs year after year, and then here comes this guy who's been there one year, one year, Pete, and he's going to get millions or he won't play. Well, that really breaks my heart." “Just be glad that Charlotte Forsythe knows nothing about American football or that you can make demands like that, or she'll hit up this company," Rachael remarked, breaking the tension at the table by making everyone laugh. On the other side of the planter, Doris Ann was not laughing. Charlotte had worked for years in the international arena as the top salesperson for rival Merrill International in the United Kingdom. A native Londoner, she followed a life-long desire to emigrate to the United States. Doris Ann was part of the team that had lured Char- lotte from U.S. rival Martin Conductor to take a sales position with King Conductors (whose owners, Wylie King and James Conway, long ago hoisted the humorous nickname, King- Con). Capturing Charlotte was considered a real coup in the world of conductors. Long considered the big three in the industry, the companies produced in-demand conductors for electronics. King-Con's own formulation was designed for use to counter continuous flexing in data processing, rotating servo platforms, and other applications. To capture such a high-profile salesperson, Doris Ann was the first to admit the company had given in more than usual on wage and other job perks. Charlotte had skipped the regular salary in order to receive straight commissions on sales—an arrangement that had been made by her previous employer. The arrangement was unusual but, the team thought, a necessary step in luring Charlotte away from Martin. In addition, as a native of England with the habit of driving on the left-hand side of the road, Charlotte's unfamiliarity with American driving conditions, particularly in congested metropolitan areas, resulted in the unusual arrangement of allowing her office assistant to also serve as a driver on various occasions, particularly when she was out of town. While working in the company headquarters, however, she took the train to work and made use of trains or cabs. Still, there was a rumble of discontent among employees about Queen Charlotte and royal treatment. Copyright 2018 Congage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-202 CHAPTER 8 MOTIVATION AND EMPOWERMENT 255 "Her sales are a huge percentage and she's made a tremendous difference in the year since her arrival. She really is worth the trouble,” Doris Ann told company vice president Charles Owenby. "But she has come to me to suggest raising her commission-substantially, and I just don't know. But I think you and I and Wylic and Jim need to discuss this." "I agree," Charles said. “I think they will bend within reason.... " "But the problem here, I believe, will be the reaction of other employees," Doris Ann said. “I hear a lot about Queen Charlotte and royal treatment, and comparisons to how those who have put in the years here are not getting the same respect as the rookie, to borrow a football analogy. So the question is, do we give in or stand firm?" "Knowing she can always move over to Martin," Charles added. “There's a risk either way, so we have to explore our options before we bring all of the parties together to hash this thing out." QUESTIONS 1. What theories of motivation help explain Charlotte's demands and the reactions of other employees to those demands? 2. What options can you think of for handling Charlotte's demand for even higher commis- sions? Which option would you choose? Why? 3. How might Doris Ann Riley deal with employee morale in light of the extremely high pay demanded by a star salesperson?