Running head: CASE STUDIES ASSIGNMENT III (GROUP B)

Case Studies Assignment III

Group B

Amanda Culver, Johzanne Miller, Harriet Thindwa, and Andrea Wilson

EHRD 603

November 21, 2012

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Case Study Chapter 11

In chapter eleven, the team is presented with the case of the State of New Mexico which

has seen increasingly high rates of death related to poor liver functionality, which exceeds that of

the national average. One organization, Lovelace Health Systems (LHS), tasked themselves with

confronting the issue as it relates to alcohol abuse. LHS is a managed care organization that

serves approximately 10 percent of the state’s population and employs 5,000 workers. Through a

new program called Project WISE (Workplace Initiative in Substance Education), LHS sought to

reduce risky drinking. For the purpose of this case study, a few questions arise for an HRD

professional involved in setting up a program such as Project WISE. It should also be noted that

the HRD professional is involved in this process because it is the goal of HRD “to ensure that

each employee is a positive contributor to an organization’s effectiveness and that he or she will

continue to contribute in the future” (Werner & DeSimone, 2009, p. 346).

The first question raised in this case study asks, “What issues would you emphasize as

you designed and implemented this new program?” To begin, it is important for the organization

to decide if the service will be offered in-house or contracted through a third party. There are

advantages and disadvantages to either choice. For an in-house program, policy, organizational

culture, and program ownership reside within the business. For contracted services, LHS can

leave the program in the hands of trained professionals. Conversely, in-house programs can

create problems with confidentiality, lack of experienced professionals who can adequately

address employee problems, and employee reluctance to participate. Third-party services lack

the organizational background and on-site availability that is needed to gain participant trust. The

organization should also consider whether it is cost-effective to utilize a vendor or to hire

resources that are available in-house (Werner & DeSimone, 2009).

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Regardless of the route chosen, they must also decide what services Project WISE will

offer. Werner & DeSimone (2009) share services that are provided in such a program like:

consultation with supervisors, constructive confrontation, counseling, involvement in health

promotion activities and follow-up monitoring. For the specific objectives of Project WISE, it is

recommended that the program incorporate health risk appraisals. Questions should be asked

related to how often they consume alcohol and how many drinks are consumed to help determine

the implications associated with their behavior.

It is also critical that the program and its offerings are advertised and communicated to all

employees throughout the organization. If they do not know it exists, the services go unutilized.

Harris and Fennell (1988) also state that employee willingness to use an employee assistance

program is related to their familiarity with and trust in the program, and the personal attention

provided by it. Project WISE must clearly define the purpose of the program, have managerial

support, stress participant confidentiality, and offer enough types of service for the employee of

LHS to find the program legitimate and become engaged.

The question of how to increase awareness of the dangers of risky drinking was also

asked in this study. While Project WISE continues to raise awareness of the program through

increased communication, they should also include an educational campaign on the effects of

alcohol. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012) lists some of the health risks

associated with alcohol use: liver and pancreas damage, various cancers such as liver, mouth,

and esophagus, unintentional injuries such as those related to motor vehicle accidents, violence,

and harm to a developing fetus. By educating all employees on the health risks associated with

risky drinking, alcohol users can make a more informed decision on whether or not they should

drink. Moreover, for those who are under the influence while performing their work, there
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should also be increased awareness of workplace injuries that could occur. For instance, jobs in

manufacturing or commercial driving not only risk their own safety when working while

intoxicated, but also put the lives of others and the livelihood of the organization at risk.

What ways can a program change an employee’s drinking behaviors? The team proposes

that a program could certainly assist the employees in learning the effects of risky drinking

behaviors, but the organization is also able to influence behavioral change. First, the behaviors

could be address by the employee’s direct supervisor. Campbell and Graham (1988) found that

behavior patterns associated with substance abuse that are observable in the workplace include

excessive tardiness and/or absenteeism, task inattentiveness, poor relationships with colleagues,

missed deadlines, and frequently shifting between optimal and low performance. The program

should have resources for managers involved in initiating change in their employees through

constructive confrontational training. This approach will assist supervisors through monitoring

performance, confronting unsatisfactory performance, coaching, and emphasizing consequences

of not changing behavior. Although the supervisor can identify and ask the employee to change

their behavior, they cannot act as a substance abuse counselor and state to the employee that they

have a problem. At this point, the supervisor is encouraged to remind the employee about

programs like Project WISE where they can seek assistance if need be.

Another way the organization can assume responsibilities of changing behavior is to have

health screenings as part of Project WISE. These could be performed on an annual basis and

might include blood tests, health-risk appraisals, alcohol test screenings, and blood pressure

checks. These are seen as preventative measures that lead to behavioral corrective action, and

can also reduce health care premium costs to both the employee and the organization. When

issues are associated with dollars, people tend to pay more attention, so perhaps Project WISE
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could pull research related to the previously-mentioned health issues of those who drink versus

those who do not, and include the health care costs associated with each type of person. This

does not even begin to address the cost associated with absenteeism or unproductivity, which

Werner and DeSimone (2009) note as potentially costing $100 billion dollars annually, which

only relates to substance and alcohol abuse. Lastly, the organization can opt to not serve

alcoholic beverages at company-sponsored events, such as social happy hours, holiday parties,

and other such gatherings. LHS cannot promote the very behavior it strives to rectify.

How would the success of Project WISE be evaluated? For starters, if a supervisor refers

an employee to the program, a program representative should approach the supervisor upon

program completion and ask if they observe positive changes in their productivity. Ideally, the

representative should maintain some cycle of regular contact with the supervisor, as the

probability of relapse remains. For participants, they should be engaged after they participate in

the program to complete an assessment of the service. While no program is perfect, if none of the

participants complete the program or change their behavior, the program may not be deemed

successful. If the organization adopts annual health screenings, Project WISE should record the

results of each year to present trends to its participants. If the report displays that their risk

factors are decreasing, then that yields a positive behavior change. This data can also be

presented to upper management to gauge participation and to display trends, while also

informing them for their continued backing of the program (Werner & DeSimone, 2009).

Though it is important to provide adequate information to analyze success, it should not

be confused with releasing confidential or sensitive information on an employee. This leads us to

the final question of the case study. Are there potential concerns with collecting employee data

that will be used to evaluate the changes that have occurred as a result of the new intervention?
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From an ethical standpoint, there most certainly are concerns. Any record of counseling –

especially one related to substance abuse program participation – should be treated with utmost

confidentiality, and it is not appropriate to release employee-specific information without the

consent of whom it involves.

It goes without saying that programs like Project WISE can be very beneficial to an

organization and its employees. Through proper assessment of who provides the service,

identifying what services will be offered, promoting awareness, and behavioral change, an

employment assistance program offers a way to promote employee well-being and positive

employee contribution to an organization.

Case Study Chapter 12

Alverno College of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a predominantly female institution that

focuses on assessing conceptual mastery of its curriculum through digital portfolios rather than

with standardized tests. The portfolio contains samples of work created through self-assessment

and feedback over the course of a student’s full term, which is also assessable to them after they

graduate. This concept is somewhat common in higher education, so it is worth asking a few

questions. The case study for this chapter will answer questions related to the opinion of such an

evaluation method, its pros and cons, and how it could work for students of Texas A&M’s

Educational HR Development (EHRD) program.

The notion of using portfolios is a good way to evaluate student’s learning, not only for

their time in the classroom, but also when considering their professional careers. Douglas Hall,

as mentioned by Werner and DeSimone (2009) comments on the protean career concept as part

of modern career development arguing that:

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Individuals drive their own careers, not organizations, and that individuals reinvent their

careers over time as needed. As individuals go through life, they are on a search for

meaning and self-fulfillment, and their careers are made up of their choices and

experiences (work, educational, and otherwise). Each person’s career will be unique. (p.

395)

It is this very point that supports the proactive concept behind learning portfolios. If the learning

experience is unique to the individual, as is with ones’ career, and is founded on experiences and

decisions, then it makes sense to evaluate someone using the same concept.

Examinations, as put by Bronwyn Williams (2005), focus on comparisons of students,

with little regard to their differences, and as long as students meet the standards; what they may

actually be learning seems to be beside the point. Therefore, the examination is not able to

capture self-assessment or reflection, personal application or meaning, or experiences. Learning

institutions, such as Alverno College, that do away with examinations as the sole assessment

method are better able to encompass how assessments are made in the professional world, where

it is important to reflect on portfolios and their connection to career management. The definition

of career carries a different meaning for everyone. For example, it could mean “the pattern of

work-related experiences that span a course of a person’s life” (Werner & DeSimone, 2009, p.

422) that demonstrate challenges and development. This definition matches in comparison to the

definition of what a portfolio is – an evaluation of ones understanding of a concept or

competency through a sample of their work. Also, a learning portfolio is an HRD activity in that

it encourages the participant to be engaged in a manner that promotes positive contribution to the

greater cause through thorough assessment, presentation, and evaluation of a competency. This

also prepares the learner for the working world. It is also not enough to evaluate the product of a
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portfolio itself, but also the assessor’s methods. When evaluating a portfolio, the assessor should

consider criteria such as relevance, application, and transferability without bias.

This is how it happens from an organizational perspective with the assessment processes

of employee evaluations. Employee evaluations typically do not include a standardized

examination in which all employees under a manager will be scored. Instead, they compare a

person only to themselves by conducting a summary of competency execution among other

knowledge, skills, and abilities assumed throughout the year. This provides merit to the portfolio

notion because it is a realistic approach we will all experience in our lives upon completion of

formalized higher education.

One of the benefits of portfolio program is that it follows the individually-oriented career

management model. Specifically, career management, as found in Human Resource

Development is:

a problem-solving, decision-making process. Information is gathered so individuals can

become more aware of themselves, and the world around them. Goals are established,

plans or strategies are developed and implemented, and feedback is obtained to provide

more information for ongoing career management. (p. 397)

In creating a portfolio, the same logic occurs with selecting content, layout and application of

content, and reflection. It is a cyclical and ongoing process throughout the educational duration.

Also, the digital format of the portfolio offers additional advantages. It allows the creator to

utilize various types of media for their presentation while also demonstrating their technological

abilities. Finally, digital formats are portable and accessible which allows the creator to easily

share their content now and in the future (Werner & DeSimone, 2009).
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Conversely, digital formats are not for everyone. They may require specific software or

licensing that is not accessible to everyone in order to create or view the content. Moreover, the

portfolio creator may lack the specific technical skills needed for a digital format, and will not be

able to successfully present the gained competency. Such an issue could cause assessment error

on behalf of the professor, as the challenges in the delivery are not a representation of what was

learned in the first place. Alverno College utilizes portfolio programs for all of its students,

regardless of major, so it goes without saying that implementing such a program requires much

forethought, funding, and technology, especially if the program is going to be a web-based tool

for the students to use throughout their tenure. It would require some level of upper management

approval and buy-in before it could be implemented. It may also require change management

engagement in order to guide students through the new evaluation method, as it can be

challenging to promote the confidence and creativity necessary for such a project – especially as

they know it is how they will be judged (Werner & DeSimone, 2009).

The concept of the learning portfolio is in place in the EHRD department of Texas A&M.

It is used throughout each semester through reflective papers, case study analysis, and various

other accounts in which students are graded on, without the use of standardized tests. The

experiences and knowledge acquired during each semester is then reflected upon in a final

course. Per the EHRD Masters Student Handbook, the final courses asks that the student submit

a portfolio which will

Include a brief reflective paper introducing your portfolio that highlights topics such as

your goals, beliefs, and desires when you began the program; specifically what you have

learned and how you developed during the program; your goals, beliefs, and desires as

you near completion of the program (p. 20).

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The concept works well for EHRD majors because each student is in the program with different

goals, professional backgrounds, and so on, so their application of competencies is unique to

them. It makes sense that the students are not graded against each other, and that they are able to

reflect on the overall program in a comprehensive portfolio. They are also created and submitted

in a digital format, which means they have the ability to share and reproduce the content in the

future.

Overall, learning portfolios are an ideal way to critique student learning. They not only

capture the learning experience, but also encourage creativity and thought in creating the final

product. This is something the student and the professor will both be proud of. Finally, learning

portfolios also prepare the learner for career management in the professional world, which is

perhaps the greatest advantage.

Case Study Chapter 13

In this chapter the team is presented with the case of a large, urban, non-profit hospital is

transitioning their clientele. In order to help with this transition the hospital board has considered

offering a management training program for the hospital management and leadership team. In

addition to this challenge, the hospital is also in the process of moving to a more technologically-

advanced facility. For this case, we will address the advisability of implementing such a

program, the focus and design of the program and the challenges of implementation for the

hospital.

First of all, we do feel a management development program would be beneficial for the

hospital leadership team. Management development (MD) provides organizations with

“opportunities to learn, grow and change, in homes of producing over the long term cadre of

managers with the skills necessary to function effectively in the organization” (Werner &
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DeSimone, 2009). As suggested by Werner and DeSimone, MD programs should be used to

develop managers in specific situations, with programs designed specifically for the organization

(2009). In this situation, the program should be geared towards training managers how to attract

a new type of clientele towards the hospital, without losing the service they provide their current

clientele.

There are three main components of MD programs: management education, management

training and on-the-job experiences (Werner & DeSimone, 2009). Each of these is essential to

success of the program. The program we suggest must include educational activities which “help

participants gain a broad range of conceptual knowledge and skills in formal classroom

situations” (Werner & DeSimone, 2009, p. 441). This should address both the customer service

skills needed for their new pool of clientele, and how to use the new technology in the upgraded

hospital facilities. These two elements will be the first steps in an effective development program

for the hospitals management team. A successful completion of the formal classroom training

should include an organization designed certification form. This will help the hospital to track

who within their leadership team has completed the course. Following the successful completion

of the classroom training, managers should participate in leadership training. For the hospital,

this should include training on the development of new clients in a society saturated with

possibilities for whom to turn to when seeking medical attention. Managers need additional

training as this is a new situation for them, and in the past they have had a different

socioeconomic class of patients. Their new goal of developing an additional pool of insured

clients is essential to the success of the hospital (Werner & DeSimone, 2009).

The final focus of the MD program will be on-the-job training. This will include

managers experiencing situations which are new, or require a new line of thinking towards the
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hospitals long term goals, and then assessments of this experience. “Hands-on training works

best when it is virtually invisible…when a [manager] needs to learn a new skill, he or she

connects with an instructor and together they set up the required training” (Sisson, 2001, p. 90).

The key to successful hands-on training is having managers and training leaders who are

dedicated to the process. Training opportunities should be practiced and evaluated. This provides

for well-trained managers, who can then train their teams on hospital procedures. Additionally,

this evaluation allows for managers to learn from real-life situations, in order to improve the

experience for next time.

In addition to the program design, the team has determined there is a need to assess the

job functions of the hospital managers. Using the integrated competency model, the hospital

should “[focus] on managerial competencies, that is, skills and/or personal characteristics that

contribute to effective performance rather than the role managers perform” (Werner &

DeSimone, 2009, p. 431). This model focuses on six categories of core competencies for

managers: human resource management, leadership, goal and action management, directing

subordinates, focus on other, and specialized knowledge (Werner & DeSimone, 2009). These

KSAs are central to the organization’s need of their managers. While this model does not

encompass all the skills embodied by successful managers, it does provide the hospital with a

core basis for understanding what KSAs are essential to the hospitals leadership team and what

skills will be needed in the future.

Finally, as the hospital designs and implements the curriculum for the management

development and training program, there are a few steps which can be done to ensure a

successful program. First, a needs assessment; this will give the design coordinators a complete

picture of what the manager team needs in terms of training. This should include an evaluation of
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the desired KSAs for the new goals and objectives of the hospital. Second, specific objectives

and developmental opportunities should be set after the completion of the needs assessment.

These objectives and opportunities should be tied to the needs assessment. Thirdly, the designed

program should be implemented in a timely manner. As the needs of the hospital managers will

change, so should the program. Therefore, the program should be implemented quickly

following the needs assessment and objective setting process completion. The fourth step is to

often and effectively evaluate the program. In order to determine the effectiveness and usefulness

of the program, it must be evaluated. Using the training evaluation designs, as described by

Raymond A. Noe (2010), will allow for the collection of the “what, when, how, and from whom

– that will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program” (2010, p. 216). The

evaluation should be used to initiate any necessary change that will make the training program

more beneficial for the hospital. Since the hospital will be investing money in the success of the

manager development program, this evaluation will provide information for the return on

investment received by the hospital (Noe, 2010). Therefore, to the hospital executives this may

be the most important step on the process.

Even with a successful management training program, thorough design and

implementation, the hospital will still face challenges in this venture. As training programs are

implemented, the hospital changes facilities, and the expansion of the clientele there will be lots

of job and task transitions (Werner & DeSimone, 2009). Managers will need to not only lead

their reporting employees to embrace the change in environment, clientele, and potentially

leadership, but they will also have to embrace this change themselves. This transition will be

challenging for employees, and require employees who are resistant to change to embody the

new culture of the hospital. Additionally, with the change in facilities the hospital plans to
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upgrade their technology and make the hospital more advanced and up-to-date. This will be an

adjustment for employees and require training during this change. The best way for the hospital

to address these challenges is through the management development program. With managers

who are engaged in this development, the program will train them to adjust to the changes and

encourage adjustment from their teams (Werner & DeSimone, 2009).

In conclusion, the question as to whether or not to implement a management development

and training program for the hospitals management team is an absolute yes. As described by the

team in this case, the best way to address the challenges the hospital will soon face is through the

effective implementation of a MD program. This will allow the hospital executives to better

control the rate of change and impact it has on the hospital employees. Designers of the program

should focus on the core competencies they require of the management team, and set objectives

based on this need. This management development and training program will help the hospital to

teach managers how to attract a new clientele, provide customer service to existing and new

patients, and to embrace the change in technology and facilities as the hospital continues to

evolve.

Case Study Chapter 14

In chapter 14, we are presented with a Norwegian company “Extrusion”, which desires to

flatten its original organizational structure and increase participation of its employees in the

running of the company. As consultants (and change agents) working on the project, our role,

according to Werner and DeSimone (2009), is to “advise the change manager on implementation

issues and the efficacy of different intervention strategies” (p. 472). In this respect, we will

advise management that in order to avoid failure and for the change strategy to be successful,

certain issues would need to be addressed before implementing the change strategy, as well as
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during and after implementation. Werner and DeSimone (2009) list eight steps which they

recommend for successful organizational change, steps that as change agents and consultants, we

will recommend management take note of these steps before institutionalizing the change.

Ensuring the need for change is the first of these steps, which is accomplished by

conducting a needs assessment, overseen by the company’s change manager, with our assistance

where needed. A needs assessment reveals if change is necessary to an existing organizational

structure or system, and if it is acceptable by all concerned—those that will be affected by the

change. The reason for this, according to Werner and DeSimone (2009), is that if the system

undergoing change is not ready for it, that if its people are not agreeable to change, there will be

resistance and the result will be failure.

The next step is to build internal support for change and overcome resistance. In this

case, the existing environment is diagnosed in order to find out whether the targeted group is

ready for change, and if there is support for change, as well as identify where resistance will

come from, so that it can be addressed accordingly (Werner and DeSimone, 2009). The authors

advise that in the absence of adequate change research, the environment can be diagnosed by

using what they refer to as force field analysis, the aim of which is to know and understand the

forces driving change and those that are counteractive to change, such as fear of job loss by

employees. They state that in order for change to take place, “the accumulation of forces for

change has to exceed the accumulation of forces against change” (p. 474). Results of a force field

analysis, the authors point out, can also assist the change manager in identifying which groups to

target with change messages, for them to change their behavioral and therefore accept change.

The third step is to provide a plan for change. This is an action plan, and stated in it are

objectives of the change strategy; activities involved; individuals that will be involved in and
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affected by the change strategy; those that will be responsible for change; the choice of

intervention strategy to be used; and the dates of its completion (Werner & DeSimone, 2009).

Since management of Extrusion has yet to provide this information, we will recommend that it

does so at the earliest possible time, as this is a necessary step in preparing for change.

According to Werner and DeSimone (2009), such a plan will also include ways in which

the change manager can deal with the groups identified as resisting change—ways that can

include meetings with such groups to explain to them the values of change and especially, to

reassure them that they will not lose their jobs, as this can be one of the greatest fears by workers

whenever the phrase “structural change” appears in writing in a company. Werner and DeSimone

(2009) note that an action plan is critical, especially in organizations that have unions, as union

members and their representatives would all have to agree to change, for it to succeed. An action

plan can, among other things, include awareness campaigns for employees to become aware of

the change being instituted and how they will be affected by it, and training sessions if new skills

will be required following change.

Next is ensuring top management support and commitment. In the case of Extrusion,

there is already strong support for change by senior management. The Chief Executive Officer of

Extrusion, we have learned, is very enthusiastic about the change. Having top management

supporting change is a battle half won, for it means management will strive to provide resources

for making change possible. Commitment by top management is thus, in part, guaranteed

(Werner & DeSimone, 2009).

Step five is building external support. Werner and DeSimone (2009) point out that this

step will be applicable only where needed, as not all organizations will need external support in
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their change intervention. We will assume that this step does not apply to Extrusion, with the

restructuring being more internal than it is external.

The sixth step is provision of resources. These will be resources to be used in pre-change

processes, including during and after the change—resources that will assist the change process;

resources to be used in activities such as (skills) training, meetings, workshops, awareness

campaigns, and many more, and depending on the chosen intervention strategy (Werner &

DeSimone, 2009).

The seventh step is to institutionalize change to “make it stick”; also referred to as

“refreezing” (Werner & DeSimone, 2009). According to the change process theory, change takes

place in three stages, the first being the “unfreezing” stage (also known as “readiness” stage),

where the system under change appeals to its employees for support for change and resolves any

resistance causing issues (Werner & DeSimone, 2009). The “moving” (also known as

“adoption”) stage, is the second stage in the change process. This is where acceptance of change

and adoption of it, are sought from all concerned. In the “refreezing” (“institutionalization”)

stage, the third and final stage, the change is made permanent—in other words it becomes

“institutionalized”, and consequently “sticks” as the new behavior for the organization (Werner

& DeSimone, 2009).

The eighth and last step, but not least, is pursuing comprehensive change. Werner and

DeSimone (2009) state that there are several intervention strategies that can be used to

implement change. The authors discuss four of them; human process-based, which they point out

emphasizes use of survey feedback and team building among others; Technostructural, which

emphasizes job enlargement and job enrichment; Sociotechnical systems, which emphasize

quality circles, total quality management and self-managed teams, and; High performance work
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systems, which include a variety of strategies, including those described above. However,

Werner and DeSimone recommend high performance work systems as “providing the best

opportunities to maintain a distinctive focus on both individual and organizational issues” (p.

497). As consultants to Extrusion, we will therefore likewise, recommend to its management for

this to be the intervention strategy they might wish to consider in their change program.

However, the choice of which strategy to use, according to Werner and DeSimone (2009), lies

with the change manager as she/he will be more familiar with what the organization needs

changed. As our duty entails, we shall therefore assist the manager in coming up with the

appropriate strategy to use, one that best suits the organization’s need for change.

Werner and DeSimone (2009) also recommend that following implementation of change,

an evaluation of the instituted change intervention should be conducted in order to find out if the

intervention was a success or if it failed in changing the organization’s behavior. An evaluation

of the intervention, the authors point out, can also reveal the location of problems with the

change, so that solutions can then be provided accordingly. They further advise that an

evaluation of a change intervention should involve all in the system under change. As

consultants, we will advise management to seriously consider evaluating the intervention

strategy following implementation, and in the manner described, once a decision has been made

to implement the change strategy.

Overall, following our advice, Extrusion will be well prepared for issues that the

organization would need to think about before implementing change, possible problems that may

crop up due to change, and how the organization can go about making change a success.

Case Study Chapter 15

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After reading the opening case in chapter fifteen, the team was presented with a case

study involving IBM. As a global company, IBM has operations in over 165 countries that deal

with different diversities; however there is an issue that their higher management primarily

consists of white males. To address this issue, IBM uses the Worldwide Management Council,

which consists of fifty-two executives, to help deal with diversity and corporate strategies. IBM

continues to face challenges with diversity and global workforces even with the help of

Worldwide Management Council. The purpose of this paper is to be able to answer the questions

at the end of this case study involving IBM.

The first question asked in the case study was: “What forms of diversity do you think

should emphasize? Why?” There are several forms of diversity that should be emphasized for

IBM and other organizations. Bell defines diversity “as real or perceived differences among

people in race, ethnicity, sex, age, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, religion, work

and family status, weight and appearance, and other identity-based attributes that affect their

interactions and relationships” (Bell, 2012, p. 4). Werner and DeSimone (2009) add on that

diversity includes “nationality, language, ability, religion, lifestyle, work function, and age” (p.

503). The different forms of diversity are important to emphasize for many reasons. The first

reason is if diversity is understood and appreciated in the organization, then the organization can

attract the best employees. As well, IBM can retain the best employees to help the company stay

effective and successful in the global economy. The second reason is it helps fill less common

rolls, such as executive positions. The third reason why different forms of diversity are important

to emphasize in an organization is because diversity is not going away in organizations.

Organizations, including IBM, will see an increase in the emphasis put on diversity in the future.
CASE STUDIES ASSIGNMENT III (GROUP B) 20

The final reason why different forms of diversity are important to highlight is it can help

eliminate discrimination (Werner & DeSimone, 2009).

The second question from the case study that was proposed: “Who should be involved in

leading and promoting this effort?” There are several people that should be involved in leading

and promoting the effort of diversity in IBM. First, it begins with IBM and the executives

creating a diverse organizational culture in the company (Werner & DeSimone, 2009).

Organizational culture is defined as “a set of shared values, beliefs, norms, artifacts, and patterns

of behavior that are used to frame of reference for the way one looks at, attempts to understand,

and works within an organization” (Werner & DeSimone, 2009, p. 504). IBM can provide

training programs to help breakdown any trust barriers and to also promote knowledge about the

elements of diversity (Bell, 2012). Secondly, it is the human resource departments’ job to hire

the right employees and design policies to promote diversity. It is important to “match people

between an organization and the organizational culture” (Werner & DeSimone, 2009, p. 504). If

people share the values of IBM and feel a connection with the diverse employees then people

will demonstrate a stronger commitment to IBM. Third, human resource development programs

can help lead and promote diversity at IBM. HRD programs can increase diversity and learning

efforts at IBM (Werner & DeSimone, 2009). As well, HRD programs “prepare employees for

overseas assignments, including orientation, career development, mentoring, sexual harassment

training, and cross-cultural training” (Werner & DeSimone, 2009, p. 503). Fourthly, IBM needs

to recognize the three approaches to creating a working environment in which all organizations

contribute fully at IBM. The three approaches include affirmative action, valuing differences,

and managing diversity (Werner & DeSimone, 2009). Finally, each employee at IBM should be

involved in leading and promoting the efforts of diversity. Employees can learn from the
CASE STUDIES ASSIGNMENT III (GROUP B) 21

experiences of each other to help build trust and knowledge. Plus, such experiences will enable

employees to encourage corrective action when they hear negative comments regarding

diversity. By speaking up this can educate employees and help stop discrimination (Bell, 2012).

The third question that was proposed was: “What role should employees at various levels

throughout IBM play in shaping IBM’s diversity initiatives?” There are several roles that the

different levels of employees can play throughout IBM in shaping diversity initiatives. The first

role employee’s play is to help breakdown the glass ceilings for diverse employees. The glass

ceiling represents a barrier that minority people in the workplace cannot reach senior

management levels in the organization. Human resources employees and hiring managers can

practice different recruitment styles to help bring in a more diverse group at IBM. Secondly,

employees at IBM need to recognize the demographic changes that IBM has experienced are a

result of the global company trying to stay competitive in the marketplace. Thirdly, employees at

all different departments can design programs to help with retention of minorities. In these

programs HRD professionals can learn different ways to highlight the diversity of the company

when interviewing and recruiting potential new hires. Fourth, all levels of employees at IBM

should participate in cross-cultural training (Werner & DeSimone, 2009). Werner and DeSimone

(2009) explain that introducing multiculturalism should be a planned strategy for the

organization. Finally, all employees at IBM need to accept and not resist people due to their

cultural differences. Each individual employee needs to make every employee feel comfortable

about who they are in that organization (Werner & DeSimone, 2009).

The final question asked in the case study was: “Do you think IBM’s diversity initiatives

in one country should be the same in those of other countries? Why or why not?” The team does

feel that IBM’s diversity initiatives in one country should be the same in those of other countries.
CASE STUDIES ASSIGNMENT III (GROUP B) 22

The team believes that IBM needs to practice equal hiring and promotion practices across

different diversity groups in the organization. As well, the team feels that IBM should offer

training programs to highlight with diversity issues in the workplace and to help build trust. The

team feels that there should a consistent organizational diversity mission and value statement

from IBM for each of their global location. While there might be difference in each IBM location

due to having a more diverse culture immersion in particular countries, the global mission should

be the same. Furthermore, each location that values the differences in their employees helps

create an environment in which each employee cultural differences can be respected. Next,

managing diversity has five approaches that can be applied to all the IBM’s organizations

globally (Werner & DeSimone, 2009). The five approaches include “a long-term commitment

change, substantive changes in organizational culture, a modified definition of leadership and

management roles, both individual and organizational adaption, and structural changes” (Werner

& DeSimone, 2009, p. 515). Managing diversity through the five approaches equally through all

of IBM’s locations can help level the ground for all employees without just viewing their

differences. Finally, IBM will face certain reactions to training and the diversity in the

organization. It is IBM’s job to help everyone feel comfortable and stop the resistance toward

diversity. IBM can focus on how each influencing employees and providing factual information

about different culture (Werner & DeSimone, 2009).

Overall, after reading the case study in chapter fifteen it helped the team combine the

information from the readings and apply it to the case study relating to IBM. After reading the

course materials we learned that diversity plays a big part in the world especially in the IBM

organization, who is continuing with their global conquering of the industry. Diversity is
CASE STUDIES ASSIGNMENT III (GROUP B) 23

increasing in all organizations. If IBM recognizes the different forms of diversity and learns

ways to promote diversity then they will be a successful, competitive global company.
CASE STUDIES ASSIGNMENT III (GROUP B) 24

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