McHugh Case Study Questions

Page 7

2. Would you consider the RA position to be a job? Does this mean that RAs are employees of
the university, or are they students? Why do you think that might be important?

- I do consider an RA position to be a job. I think RAs are both students and university
faculty at the same time. They are getting paid for what they do and they have mild
“benefits” from their job as well. They also can be reprimanded and terminated if they do
not follow the rules and regulations spelled out in their job description contract that they
signed. These are also characteristics of a “real job” and that is why an RA position
should be taken very seriously. I think that understanding that an RA position is a job is
important because having a job on campus includes much greater responsibilities than
just being a student does. You are in some ways, held to a higher standard and must act
as a type of role model for other students - even if they are the same age as you.

Page 11-12

1. What are the key factors that led some RAs to have interest in union representation?
Do you think that RAs have legitimate job-related concerns, or are the RA complaints
overstated?

- RAs felt that they were not paid enough ($2.50 an hour if you take out their room and
board fees), they were held to higher standards and terminated for any misconduct,
whereas fellow students were only given warnings, and they also had a demanding job
with repercussions (such as dealing with violations from peers or receiving backlash for
punishing residents who broke rules) which they were not compensated for and which
were not considered by the university.
- I do think RAs have legitimate job related concerns because of the environment they are
placed in. It is difficult to be the same age, or even younger than the population you are
supervising, and this situation is not extremely common in most jobs. It can cause a
great deal of discomfort in the RAs, and also might prompt the students to lack respect
for an RA who is younger than them. This makes RAs jobs harder than they have to be. I
also think that the lack of leniency with RA’s breach in the rules is unfair. I understand
that they are workers at the university, but they are students too and they deserve some
form of warning / write up before they are totally terminated from their job. The process
to become an RA and keep that job is extensive and demanding; the process to be
eliminated from the position should not be so brief and easy to obtain.
 3. How does the law regarding union recognition for public employees in Massachusetts
compare with the NLRA rules regarding union recognition for private-sector employees?

- The NLRA is not applicable to public-sector workers because public sector workers at
the federal, state and local levels are not considered “employees” under the act. This
means that RAs at UMass were not granted their union because they were not
considered employees at the university. I disagree with this view and think the act is
somewhat unfair, however, there were very little RA positions available and very very
many applicants; this gives the position a high potential for turnover. If the RAs
employed do not hold up their end of the contract, they should know that there will
always be someone else to replace them when they are terminated so this should be
motivation for them to follow the rules more strictly.

Page 16

1. Were the university and union election campaign activities effective?

- I believe that they were effective because both “sides” got their point across. The
university explained why they opposed having a group of undergraduates unionize and
the RAs explained in detail that they had a real job and should be treated as employees,
instead of just model students. The union was not formed, but how RAs are treated by
universities will be carefully considered in the future.

2. What role did the media play in the election campaign? Is media accuracy important?

- The article called “Dorms aren't factories” really stood out to me. They used imagery to
express their opinions just through the title in order to get readers engaged and to have
them consider their beliefs on the matter as well. This use of media is very clever in
campaigning and even though I believe that RAs should be treated much better and paid
more, I really considered the opposite view after contemplating that title. Media accuracy
is very important because it can suede a majority of people, especially in the college
student population. Media coverage in this specific situation has the power to make or
break a whole campaign which can be a dangerous thing.

Page 19

1. What does it mean to “bargain in good faith”?

- Bargaining in good faith ​refers to a type of negotiation in which all parties want and try to
achieve a reasonable agreement with a positive outcome for all included parties. In this
case, the University recognized that the RAs were students and maybe should be
 treated with a little more leniency, but they did not recognize them as employees and
therefore would not grant them better pay or benefits.

Page 25

1. What do you think were the key factors in getting both sides to agree to begin contract
negotiations?

- Both sides had to come to a compromise - the university recognized RAs as students, so
they must agree to treat them as such when it comes to discipline. The RAs had to
recognize that if they were going to be treated as employees, then they should have the
repercussions of termination following a breach of contract. The RAs could either be paid
more and fired easily, or be paid the same amount, but given the leniency as a student.
The university was willing to be more lenient, but they still did not recognize the position
of an RA as a job, so they were not willing to compromise pay like the RAs wanted.

4. Why do you think it took 14 months to reach a tentative agreement?

- I believe this was because the university did not respect the position of an RA and
thought they were being treated fairly to begin with. The RAs felt oppressed and
mistreated by the university and demanded more than what the university was willing to
offer them. The constant disagreement between the two parties contributed to the
tentative agreement taking longer than it should have.

6. List the five items, issues or benefits you anticipate will be included in the contract that
would be most important to the union. Next, list the five items or issues most important to the
university.

- 1.) Better grieving process for all RAs. 2.) Warnings of write ups before termination. 3.)
Benefits other than the $50 a week pay- maybe discounted food or more leniency with a
meeting attendance. 4.) Ability to change building residence if a conflict of interest
comes up (like the RA’s friends live in that building and they do not want to reprimand
them. 5.) Scheduled time off.
- 1.) Better attendance in mandatory meetings. 2.) Role model behavior for students to
follow. 3.) An understanding that an RA position is not a job and any stipend received
from the university should be appreciated. 4.) The position of an RA is a very important
and serious one that should be regarded as such; many people desire the position and
very few actually receive it. 5.) Grievances should be taken up with a supervisor
employed by the university.

“We Need to Talk” Discussion

1. You are the Dining Room manager at an upscale Continuing Care Retirement
Community. Your boss has talked to you about the appearance of some of your
servers—particularly Alex. Alex is sporting on his forearm a new, large tattoo of a devil
eating a rat. You agree with your boss that some residents might find it offensive and
that it should somehow be covered up. You need to talk to Alex.

a. As a professional, what advice would you give the supervisor before his or her
conversation with the employee?
i. I would recommend to first reviewing the employee handbook to ensure if
the employee is breaking any rules and / or which ones he is breaking so
that you can be totally accurate when you address the situation. I would
also keep in mind that you do not want to offend the employee because it
is their choice to do whatever they want with their bodies; however,
considering the atmosphere, it is important to adhere to employee
appearance regulations so as to keep order in the workplace.
b. Are there any legal implications in terms of laws or regulations?
i. There may be, depending on what it says in the employee handbook or in
the hiring contract that Alex signed upon starting work. He may be
required by the facility, on the basis of the contract he signed, to cover up
all tattoos while on duty. This may be in the form of wearing more modest
clothing in the area of the tattoo or it could also be wearing skin colored
coverings to neutralize the appearance of the tattoo to most nearby.

2. You are the Department Head. Your administrative assistant, Ryan, is often late getting
to work. You have tolerated it for the past year, but your workload has increased and you
need all the help you can get, especially at the start of the day. With Ryan coming in late,
it is starting to affect your ability to get your job done. You need to talk to Ryan.

a. As a professional, what advice would you give the supervisor before his or her
conversation with the employee?
i. Remember that all people deserve respect and that before confronting
someone, make sure that you consider what could be going on in their life
at the moment to cause them to behave the way they do. Then I would
address the situation in a way that comes off as accommodating to Ryan.
Ensure that he knows that his behavior is unacceptable and it affects not
only him, but you as well. Offer solutions such as scheduling him to come
in later and working later in the evening to compensate (like staying late
and getting work done for the next morning), or working from home in the
mornings and coming in in the afternoon. Lastly, I would also stress that
punctual arrival is an essential part of his job and if he is unable to adhere
to that requirement, he could be let go or placed in a position where he
does not have that requirement.
 b. Are there any legal implications in terms of laws or regulations?
i. There is the legal permission to terminate an employee who does not
hold up his end of the contract; which is arriving to the job on time and
completing the tasks he is required to do during that time. If Ryan
continually breaches his contract, it is lawful to let him go (or demote him
to a different position that requires less punctuality or a later start to the
work day).

3. You are the Patient Services manager supervising 25 people. Your team works in close
quarters with little physical separation between work stations (pre pandemic scenario).
Drew is one of your best performers, yet you have received complaints that Drew tends
to sprinkle conversations with rather crude and vulgar references. This is not a team of
saints, but some have complained that Drew is crossing the line. You need to talk to
Drew.

a. As a professional, what advice would you give the supervisor before his or her
conversation with the employee?
i. I would consider that many different people are employed at organizations
such as these; all with unique upbringings. Words or topics discussed by
faculty members may be deemed acceptable to one person, and
unacceptable to another. Because of this, there should be a code of
conduct regulation that speaks to this issue and addresses what words or
topics are allowed in this workplace and which are not. It is important that
all staff members feel comfortable with workplace conversation and no
one feels targeted for things that they say.
b. Are there any legal implications in terms of laws or regulations?
i. There may be regulations in effect depending on company policy, but
there are most likely not laws that prohibit this type of behavior. One
would have to refer to the employee handbook or employment contract of
the facility to see if there is an actual breach in contract for disciplinary
measures to be enacted. If there is not, it would be wise to have a calm
and almost suggestive conversation with Drew, explaining how the
specific words / topics that he uses may offend other workers and how he
can go about changing that for the greater good of the facility.

Diabetes Management Case Study and SWOT Analysis

1. What challenges exist for a smooth transition of patients at high risk of diabetic
complication in the current scenario?
a. Some patients who are at a high risk are admitted to the hospital for reasons other
than their diabetes complications. If this is the case, these patients may not see
their diabetes complications as a problem and may dismiss suggestions of change
in those areas. Many diabetic patients do not see the potential risks their poorly
managed diabetes could cause them, and therefore are not concerned with making
the transition desired by their healthcare team. Many times, the initial education at
the diagnosis of diabetes is the only time clients are engaged in the learning
process. Trying to inform clients on continued ways to help their health or new /
better ways to control their diabetes will not be retained because they do not feel
as if it is as important since they have survived however long doing it their old
way. There will always be many barriers surrounding diabetes management and it
is our job as health professionals to help our clients get around those obstacles
with ease.

3. How can the referral issues be resolved?

a. Uncontrolled or poorly managed diabetes can be easily spotted by a doctor and it

is their job to refer the client to a dietitian or a certified diabetes educator for
proper treatment if they are not currently seeing one already. I believe this task
should be mandatory as well as quarterly check-ins with RDs to ensure no
diabetes complications arise that pose a significant health risk to the client.
Diabetes management must be taken more seriously by clients in order to see
changes in diabetes related hospitalizations. There should also be a baseline
learning system that educates those diagnosed with diabetes on how to prevent
complications related to their disease that is evidence based, error free, and
applies to most if not all patients in this population. This education should be
given out by certified diabetes educators and dietitians during initial visits with
them following the diabetes diagnosis.

4. What other problems did you identify in the narrative?

a. There should be an automatic referral for thorough diabetes education to all who
have been diagnosed with diabetes ever (not just the recent ones). This
requirement should be stressed and the benefits of diabetes education discussed in
detail to prevent readmission to hospitals for diabetes related complications. The
program should be advertised as the most cost effective way to manage diabetes;
controlling it through diet and lifestyle changes expressed by RDs and CDEs is
 the cheapest and probably healthiest way to manage the disease and more people
would voluntarily see these health professionals if they understood all the benefits
it could give them. I also think a regular screening process for uncontrolled
diabetes could be implemented in all hospitals to prevent those who trigger at risk
from developing serious complications. This could also be a good eligibility
criteria for meeting with an RD or CDE regularly.

*RD = registered dietitian

*CDE = certified diabetes educator

SWOT Analysis
Strengths​:
- The diabetes outpatient education program is a great addition to the healthcare system.
Programs help people stay on track, increases their motivation, and holds them
accountable for their own actions.
- The inclusion of: a Diabetes and Nutrition Care Team (Director, Certified Diabetes
Educators who are Registered Dietitians or Registered Nurses), the Nursing Department
(Discharge nurses and nursing managers), Inpatient Clinical Dietitians, and Physicians
who are all there to support the continual improvement of health in the diabetic
population.

Weaknesses​:
- The program has no perceived benefits to the participants (or benefits are not stressed
enough). I believe this is causing the lack of participation and could prove detrimental to
the health of this population.
- The lack of a baseline curriculum - this is causing confusion and incorrect or inadequate
information to be given out to patients. It is essential that all patients are given the tools
and information needed to manage their disease prior to being discharged from the
hospital.

Opportunities​:
- There is a great opportunity to reach more people than initially intended with this
program. I believe the program should be enforced to everyone who is currently being
diagnosed with diabetes as well as patients who are in the system and have been
previously diagnosed with diabetes. This program could be a basic treatment procedure if
it was able to be enforced by the healthcare system on a regular basis for everyone.
Threats​:
- A threat to this program could be the lack of participation or the lack of motivation to
participate. Since the amount of patients who were readmitted for diabetes related
complications was so high, it seems as if there may be a knowledge deficit or lack of
understanding of the severity of the consequences. This threat must be taken care of
before the program can be successful and help the population it was designed to.
 Rizzo Classism

The entirety of Module 1 was very interesting to me and a lot of things surprised me.
There were many facts and many viewpoints that I did not previously consider and I feel much
more culturally competent for knowing these things now. I would consider myself to be middle
class and I was only able to “pass” the middle class quiz, meaning I would probably not survive
in poverty or wealth, given my upbringing. “Wealth allows the rich to self-actualize by becoming
experts at anything that interests them” (Rizzo, 2009). Prior to reading this quote, I did not
realize the life values and general focus points of each class. It is very interesting to me that self
actualization and self discovery is typically considered a luxury that only the wealthy can afford.

“In our training, we learned that class affects a person’s thinking and behavior to a much
greater extent than does race, gender, ethnicity or disability” (Rizzo, 2009). This quote was one
of many that caught my eye throughout this module. It is typical to assume that race, gender,
ethnicity or disability affect a person’s thinking / behavior greatly in their everyday lives; but it
had not occurred to me that class also made a significant impact as well. I really appreciated this
opportunity to see things from the perspective of three different classes in the form of a very
honest and descriptive dialogue that helped me better understand the vast differences between all
three groups of people.

Page 16

1. Are there overlapping concerns that appear on the lists? If so, what are the issues
common to all the groups?
a. There are- the wealthy class of managers and owners considered employees
taking discarded items out of the trash as “theft”, while the poverty class argued
for forgiveness on that because trash is being discarded anyway and should be up
for grabs. The company no longer owns something that they throw away so it
should be for anyone to take and make use of. Another conflict between the
 wealthy and poverty class was that the wealthy did not appreciate other workers
being late, while the poverty class requested forgiveness and the opportunity to
work through their breaks to make up for it. (This is an example of a conflict in
concerns, not a common issue).
b. The wealthy and middle class were both concerned with conflicts between
workers, while the poverty class was concerned with conflicts between them and
the clients. - It seems as if the poverty class has no similar conflicts of interest
with the other two classes and I believe that that speaks volumes as to why they
had very low job satisfaction. The poverty class seems to feel left out and like no
one agrees with them or tends to their personal needs - and they are really not
asking for much. The wealthy class can sympathize with the needs of the middle
class and that is why their needs are being met before those of the poverty class.
c. It seemed as if the wealthy class really misunderstood the poverty class and that is
where a lot of conflict arose. The wealthy did not seem to understand the
demanding lives of the poverty class. For example: the minimum wage workers
who arrived late may have had to take their child to school or a daycare center and
they may not be able to stay late either because they have to pick them up and
have no other option. The solution they proposed was that they would forfeit their
breaks in order to have no repercussion for their tardiness. I think this is a
reasonable request, yet it is something that the wealthy class may not understand
very well because they cannot relate to these problems.
d. There are 6 common ground issues that were addressed by everyone, but stances
were not agreed upon. They are as follows: 1. Use and allocation of
resources—wastefulness, misallocation and theft. 2. Work attendance—tardiness,
absenteeism and flex time. 3. Interpersonal relationships—socializing, conflicts,
trust and teasing. 4. Worker safety—risky behavior. 5. Employee benefits—pay
and bonus schedule. 6. Opportunities for advancement.
Page 22

1. Are the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” fair to all employees of Peacock Pools?
a. Yes and no. Yes - certain aspects of the lists would be difficult for certain classes
to follow (example: don't - use swearing, shouting, or name calling to express
anger). This may be difficult for the poverty class because it may be how they
were brought up to express their emotions and it could be the only way they know
how. They may think that the other classes assume that they are better than them
because they refrain from using those methods to express themselves. I also could
assume that some of the “don’ts” may feel restrictive to the poverty class more so
than the other classes. These lists were a great idea, but may end up increasing the
divide between the three classes - which defeats the purpose of these meetings.
b. No - many of the items on the list were included to make everyone feel more
comfortable and accepted on the job. There is no need for name calling, putting
others down or criticizing, and arguing with everyone who does not have the same
opinion as you do. This list may prove to increase employee relationships in the
long run if the guidelines are followed by all. With that being said, some classes /
people may think they are above these guidelines and not hold up their end of the
bargain because they do not think ​they ​need to change.
i. Including a point system for good behavior that can be exchanged for
items in a company store is a great idea to increase participation in the
do’s and don’ts list while also tending to the needs of all three classes at
the same time.
 Employee Termination

1. Was Jason wrongfully terminated?

- Yes, the inability to meet the KPI was not his fault, but he was wrongfully blamed for it
and inthe end, was also wrongfully terminated for it. I believe this was because the
foodservice director was trying to cover something up or cover for other employees
whom he knew were making mistakes or stealing from the business.

2. Did Jason receive the due process he was entitled to before being terminated? If not, briefly
explain why.
- No, Jason was not given a potential termination slip or even suspended without pay.
Since those two steps of the termination process were skipped, he was wrongfully
terminated and he received unfair treatment for reasons outside of his control.

3. Was the foodservice director in compliance with the company’s termination SOP? Briefly
explain why or why not.
- The foodservice director ignored the company’s termination SOP for his own benefit. It
seemed like the FS director was trying to cover something up or cover up the improper
actions of other employees (or himself) and Jason took the fall for it. It seemed as if Jason
found out about the wrong things other employees were doing and he wanted to bring it
to the attention of a higher authority, so the FS director fired him before he could get the
chance to speak up and get him in trouble for what he has been doing / allowing to be
done under his supervision.

4. What should the foodservice director have done differently to attempt to mitigate the risk of
termination?
- The FS director should have given Jason more feedback and helped him through his
inability to meet the KPI. He also should have explained to Jason what he thought was
going on (if other employees were stealing and why) because this would have alleviated
 suspicion from him terminating Jason on the spot. The FS director acted irrationally and
he should have followed the SOP or discussed Jason’s termination with another person of
authority instead of taking matters into his own hands.

5. If Jason were to bring this termination to a lawyer, would he have a fair chance of winning the
lawsuit? Briefly explain why or why not.
- He would. Since the company has a SOP, it must be followed. Even though Jaso signed
the termination papers, it was forced upon him and Jason at least has a chance to take this
case to trial. Jason was wrongfully terminated and SOP was not followed so he was also
clearly mistreated by his higher authorities.

6. What internal and/or external forces could have been contributing to the inability to meet the
food cost KPI?
- The internal force that was potentially impeding Jason’s ability to meet the KPI was other
employees taking more from the company than what they were allowed and stealing /
pilferaging company goods while the FS director covered it up for whatever reason.
Another internal force could have been the lack of rule adherence from both fellow
employees and from the FS director as well (who gave little direction to Jason and also
prematurely terminated him).
- An external force that may have been the possibility of incorrect ordering of materials /
material amounts that were delivered to the facility.

7. In this scenario, what measurable elements could Jason have included in his action plan to
meet the food cost percentage KPI, therefore potentially avoiding termination?
- The amount of food that employees are consuming on the tray line and the extra amount
of meals they were consuming as well. Including this would make the KPI a more
accurate number.

8. What are possible implications of this termination process if it isn’t corrected?

 - There could be a lawsuit due to the unfairness of Jason’s termination. There could be
further investigation into the other workers who are potentially stealing from the
organization, and also investigation into the FS director who does not seem to be doing
his job at all.
- There will also be a high employee turnover rate if other employees are treated like Jason
was - fired for figuring out the truth about the FS director.

9. Create a SWOT Analysis for the scenario based on your responses.

- Strengths​: Jason took matters into his own hands regarding his self improvement and did
all that he could to fix the problems that he was not causing.
- Weaknesses​: there is a clear display of power abuse where the FS director was not doing
his job and personally benefiting from the demise of someone else (jason, who found out
what he was doing). There is also a lack of rule-following done by the higher ups, which
sets a bad example and a low standard for other employees at the facility.
- Opportunities​: the organization’s heads can use this situation as an opportunity to teach
others about the consequences of lack of rule following and doing your job. I believe they
should fire the FS director, rehire Jason, and promote him as well for his occupational
honesty and integrity through his mistreatment.
- Threats​: the possibility of a lawsuit and also the bad example of rule breaking from the
FS director may make other employees think it is okay to steal and someone will have
your back for it. This is threatening to lose the company money and also lose loyal
employees as well. If good behavior is not rewarded and bad behavior is, it completely
changes the whole dynamic of the facility.

Recruitment Scenarios
Things to Talk About

3. What are your proposed results?

- There might be some confusion when switching individuals to different assignments,
however, this could be a job perk so that those who are hired are almost guaranteed a job
for a long time (if they meet the diverse requirements to be hired). I also think this
method is a good use of company resources - instead of hiring new, keep those that you
have and continue to pay the same rate but for different jobs. This is cost effective and
ensures employee loyalty.

What Would You Do?

1. What are some of the positions you may need to recruit? Why?
- Some positions that may be hard to fill and require recruitment are: training solutions,
analysis, and evaluations division because these positions need more employees than
other divisions do. They also seem to require a bit more work than the other divisions
(the training solutions team especially). The training for these divisions may also be more
intense than other divisions as well, making it slightly less appealing due to the amount of
extra work that goes into getting and keeping the job.

Workflow Chart
Things to Think About

6. How will you ensure that the new hire will be approved and hired as expediently as possible?
- I would ensure that the new hire goes through a different hiring process that evaluates
their performance and their ability to give relevant and timely feedback to authorities,
fellow employees, and to clients as well. The new hire should be directly informed on
how they will be evaluated and what is being asked of them.
- I would also make hiring a new program manager a priority and describe the urgency to
the hiring staff (but not necessarily to the potential new hires).

What Would You Do?

2. What can be done to retain existing employees and replace the ones who have left?
- Offer bonuses (not necessarily monetary ones if the company cannot afford it), take on
more well paying projects so that you can hire new or relocate current employees and
they can keep their jobs, and offer job incentives for new hires (if you stay with the
company for this many years or if you reach this project goal, you get xxx).

3. List plans you can communicate to your staff to alleviate any further issues with regard to
retention and recruitment.
- Assure them that if they do their job and do it well, they will have job security. They need
to be able to trust the company in order to want to work there or even apply for a job
there. Ensure that they know that you are looking out for their best interest and will do
whatever you can to keep them working at the company. It would also be wise to discuss
employee turnover rate prior to this budget cut issue to show how well the company was
retaining employees previously (which they can do again).

What Would You Do?

2. Provide one example of a retention technique that can be implemented.

- The company, since they are no longer on a tight budget, can offer monetary bonuses for
completion of projects before a certain deadline (or find other forms of motivation for
employees to continue their work). Since job security is almost guaranteed now, they can
explain how working for the company will continually benefit it’s workers such as;
employee benefits, job advancement, pay increase, and a more flexible work schedule.

Worker Safety Case Study

1. What contributes to overall safety of a large kitchen environment?
- All participants in the kitchen following standard safety procedures, using PPE, utilizing
the help of others when it is needed or recommended, using the correct equipment for the
job, cleaning equipment correctly and often, and being cautious of the flow of the kitchen
and others around you.

2. What are some reasons for the types of injuries - burns, cuts, and strains?
- Burns: not using proper PPE, not following standard procedures of waiting x amount of
time until something is cooled before touching tit, not using or paying attention to “hot
surface” warning signs”
- Cuts: not using standard PPE, not using proper knife safety, not using PPE when cleaning
sharp objects, storing knives and other sharp objects in the wrong place or cleaning them
in the wrong sinks
- Strains: not asking for help that is required or recommended from other people when
lifting, closing, moving, or pushing heavy objects or equipment

3. Why might workers not use PPE?

- It might get in their way or not fit properly, they might think it does not look cool, they
might think it is unnecessary or over the top for a small task to be completed, they might
forget, or the PPE rules may have been forgotten and not enforced regularly. The
workers may also be adjusting to the new FS director and feeling like they can get away
with more if the rules were not properly reinforced upon their arrival.

4. Who is responsible for safety within the FNS department?

- The food service director is responsible for the safety and standard procedures followed
by their workers. They must ensure all safety procedures are being followed by all staff
members at all time because if not, it looks bad on them, it decreases the workers ability
to work and therefore decreases production each day, and it could also be expensive in
terms of paying for labor lost, broken or damaged equipment, or food wasted from a
mistake of the workers. Since the old FS director recently resigned, it is up to the new
one to enforce rules from the beginning and set boundaries with their workers so they
know what is expected of them.

5. What should the new director do to improve safety?

- The director should go over worker safety again and explain the consequences of not
following the safety procedures. There could also be incentives for the number of days
accident free to increase the motivation of the workers to follow the standard procedures
more frequently. The director could also put one of the workers in charge of safety - if the
 workers do not feel comfortable listening to the higher ups, maybe they will be more
inclined to listen to a peer on the matter.

6. Create a SWOT analysis of the kitchen safety status using your answers above to identify the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
- Strengths​: rules and regulations are being stressed and outlined properly - PPE is readily
available and encouraged by authorities.
- Weaknesses​: the employees are not motivated to follow the procedures, even though they
are getting hurt from it. There needs to be a different source of motivation to get them to
adhere to the rules and regulations.
- Opportunities​: there is opportunity for a promotion of one or two employees who coils be
named safety enforcement officer of the kitchen where they will ensure their peers follow
the safety procedures and no longer get hurts; these people could also track the number of
days the facility was accident free as part of their motivation and all employees could be
rewarded for reaching a certain number of days free from accidents.
- Threats​: one obvious threat is that of the workers safety and overall health. It is
unacceptable for them to continuously get hurt on the job so frequently and something
needs to change fast. There could be a potential lawsuit if an accident report is not filed
or filed improperly and no company wants that. There is also the consistent threat of lost
labor time that occurs when employees are injured; the FS operation likely cannot afford
a labor loss because everyone needs to be working in order to get the work done on time.
This could create many problems in the future.

Religion Racial Case Study

1. Identify and describe the specific issues Maalick encountered in the workplace. Do the
actions of other workers at Treton represent discrimination and harassment? What
elements of law are important for Treton to consider?
a. Racial descrimination: by jenkins stating that Maalick should have expected this
kind of backlash from other employees because he is african american and joined
a weird religion. Religious descrimination: by Jenkins giving the promotion that
Maalick wanted to another, less qualified individual who was the same religion as
Jenkins. Racial Harassment: by receiving the very racist books and chant papers
on “black folk” prayers. Religious Harassment: by receiving taunts and having
voodoo dolls put in his office from the other workers.
b. Facilities are required to accommodate their workers and not condone harassment
for their religious preferences or racial profiles*.
c. The actions of the workers do represent discrimination and harassment and should
not be tolerated by any organization. Trenton should consider avoiding racial and
religious descrimination, as well as racial and religious harassment. If racism is
impeding Maalick from a career advancement, that is against the law and they
must change or make a negotiation in order to avoid a lawsuit.

2. Evaluate the actions of the HR director, Marta Ford, in response to Maalick’s situation.
What could she have done to prevent the situation and what more could she do to ensure
that this type of situation would not occur in the future?
a. She could have taken action the first time Maalick approached her about the
situation (by sending emails reminding the company of their anti harassment and
racism policy, and she also should have had a word with Jenkins who was
condoning all of this behavior under his supervision). She could explain to the
employees in a meeting that this kind of racism and religious harassment was
grounds for termination and anyone who wishes to treat others this way has a
great opportunity to get fired immediately.
b. She should label the process and make it very clear to all workers that the things
that were done to Maalick were considered racism and religious harassment and
the people responsible should be ashamed of themselves for their prejudice
against others. This behavior is never tolerated in a workplace environment and
Trenton is an all inclusive organization - if workers are going to go against this
philosophy, then they can leave on their own accord, or be terminated for their
unacceptable behaviors.

Posthuma Workplace Dispute

Payoff Table**
Negotiation Reflection
Vacation: 5 days
Start Date: September 15th
Insurance Effective Date: 1 month
Salary: 41,000
Date for first salary review: 3 months
Professional Development: 2,000
Job location: San Antonio
Total: 13,200 points were awarded to the job candidate (me)

This role play of a negotiation scenario was done between my roommate and I and it was
a really great learning experience. Through this exercise, I was able to see the benefits and risks
of each scenario through the minds of both a job candidate and a hiring manager which helped
me better understand daily decisions that are made in large organizations. I am satisfied with the
results and I now better understand the compromises that I am willing to make and the ones I am
not willing to make with my future employers. Lastly, this exercise helped me better understand
the extensive decisions that must be made upon taking on a new hire and how those decisions
can affect both the individual and the company greatly.

Page 17

3. Is there a possible win-win situation here, where both parties come out ahead? If so, what is it?
- Yes. Both parties can reach a compromise based on their available resources. There is a
possibility for each party to have roughly the same amount of points at the end if a proper
compromise was made for the whole payoff table / negotiation. For example, if the
employee agrees to have a higher salary, maybe their insurance will have to start later
than they would like it to, or their salary review date may be postponed to later then they
 want it to be. There is plenty of room for compromise and for both parties to come out on
top. Each outcome has a benefit and a cost; what matters is that the overall accumulation
of benefits / costs for each party is about equal.

Page 22

4. Some people are more concerned with having a certain outcome. Others might be willing to
take a bigger risk in exchange for a bigger payoff. How averse are you to risk? How much are
you willing to give to make sure you get what you want?
- I think it depends widely on the situation. An employee who has a hard time finding a job
may value job security very much and seek primarily that, while another employee who
has had many different job offers may seek more from each company and ask for / expect
benefits other than job security when they agree to be hired. I am not very risky career
wise at this point in my life and that is because I am very new and feel that I do not bring
as much to the table as other people in my profession who have more experience and
qualification than me. As I progress in my career, however, I will become more risky and
ask for more because I will believe that I will be worth more / more valuable to the
company I work for. I currently am not willing to give my job security for other benefits
and during this time in my life will most likely take whatever benefits I am given without
complaints.

Page 25

Fill-in-the-Blank Negotiation Quiz Instructions​: Fill in the blanks using the terms on the back
side of this sheet. Student’s name (please print): ________Maya Yoder__________
1. __​Distributive__​_______ negotiations are win-lose and are resolved when one party loses
and the other party wins.
2. _____________​Integrative_​_____________ negotiations are win-win and both parties can
get more.
3. The size of the pie gets bigger in___________ ​integrative or collaborative​________
negotiations.
4. The resources that parties can split are increased when they work together
________​collaboratively​__________ as opposed to competitively.
5. Sometimes people make a(n) _______ ​irrational escalation of commitment ​__________ to a
course of action and continue to try the same thing over and over again, or spend more money or
resources on something even though they see it is not working.
6. Base figures on which we judge the favorability of something are called
_________________​anchors_​________________________ . People tend to look for these
standards even when they don’t necessarily make sense.
7. People can react very differently to something when the perspective or
_______________​frame​__________________ of reference changes.
8. BATNA means__________________​ best alternative to a negotiated
agreement_​__________ .
9. The _________​reservation price or resistance point​_____________ is as far as you will go
in a negotiation without walking away from the deal. It is closely related to your BATNA.
10. __________​Positions​______________are bids, offers and specific figures.
11. ___________​Interests​_______________underlie positions. By understanding your own and
the other party’s_________​interests​_________________, you can focus on meeting them and
not get stuck focusing on positions.
12.Big or rapid changes in the size of your bid suggest that you are willing to make
further____________​_concessions​_____________.
13.After the negotiations are settled, one party might try to get one more little concession, often
called a ​_______nibble___________ ​. A good response to this is to initiate a post-settlement
negotiation in which you explore opportunities for both parties to get more out of the deal.
Available Options for Fill-in-the-Blank Quiz

Integrative or collaborative
Concessions
Anchors
Best alternative to a negotiated agreement
Nibble
Distributive
Interests, interests
Reservation price
Positions
Integrative
Frame
Irrational escalation of commitment
Collaboratively

Patient Overflow Case Study

1. What are some additional problems with using a room service model for additional patients in
outlying units?
 - There is always a possibility of order confusion, bringing incorrect meals or delivering
them to the wrong patients. There is also the opportunity for staff to be overworked -
more staff may need to be hired for the extra work that needs to be done. There is also
room for a decrease in food quality if the kitchen staff feels rushed and unable to
accommodate the influx of patients all at one time.

2. What are some ways to improve communication between FNS and management of other
involved departments?
- There could be a set schedule for that all departments have access to and can utilize to
express where they will be and check to see where other departments will be to eliminate
confusion and ensure all departments are covered with room service.
- They could also designate specific departments to specific groups of people to ensure that
each person is catered to and served in a timely manner; if not, they know which
department is at fault.

3. What procedure for foodservice could have been planned out in advance?
- Meal planning could be pre-planned; popular menu items could be partially prepared to
save time on cooking. An example could be having fruit / vegetables chopped and ready
for use in the recipe.
- There could be increased staff to deliver the food to the different units and increased
number of chefs to prepare more food

4. What opportunities exist for improvement using existing resources?

- There could be a menu change that would make it easier for foodservice to more
efficiently tend to all patients (like a smaller menu or a menu with very similar items).
- The facility could also make “easy to make” items cheaper so more people will buy them
instead.
- If possible, separate miniature “kitchens” could be set up for each department with the
bare minimum tools for distribution and reheating. The main kitchen can prepare most of
 the foods, but it can be assembled and heated in the other smaller kitchen and then
delivered to the patients from there. This method will save time and space in the long run
and promote better customer satisfaction.

5. Create a SWOT analysis of the room service program during times of high patient census
using your answers above to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
- Strengths​: the ambassadors are a great inclusion because they decrease the amount of
confusion between the patient orders and the kitchen who prepares and distributes them. I
also appreciate the cap of 50 patients per ambassador because it can get to be too
overwhelming if one is in charge of too many patients all at once and that gives way for
confusion and miscommunication.
- Weaknesses​: they are unable to serve all patients in a timely manner and are not well
adjusted to an influx of patients.
- Opportunities​: this opens up new job opportunities and the ability to expand the facility.
By creating new miniature kitchens for each department, it will make it easier for each
ambassador to control, for the cooks to know where all the food is going, and it will
result in the patients getting their food with better quality and in a timely manner.
- Threats​: the poor quality of room service may encourage patients to go elsewhere for
their healthcare needs. The patients who need food urgently may also suffer mildly from
a delay, and the quality of food will most likely suffer if the kitchen feels rushed.

Designing a Pay Structure

*Compare the two sets (Lab assistant and Secretary) and write 1-3 paragraphs of what you feel
remains missing or the differences
Lab Assistant (New)
 This job entails a lot of organization, preparation, and multitasking. There are a lot of
simple tasks required along with the ability to guide others to participate in lab activities in a
safe, accurate, and fun manner. The lab assistant will be in charge of ensuring the cleanliness of
the lab and its inhabitants, along with the safety precautions taken of those using the equipment
and the integrity of the equipment as well. They will also be in charge of obtaining and
purchasing the correct food needed for each lab so they must have access to a vehicle and have a
license as well. It is essential that the lab is in good condition for the students and other faculty
members to use and it is the job of the lab assistant to document all that goes on in terms of
equipment usage, sanitization, accidents, etc. Job requirements include having a highschool
diploma, working well with others and also independently, and being pleasant.

Missing from Old​: Need to be organized, able to multitask, work well with others, and work well
independently.
Secretary (New)
This job entails overseeing and editing many different programs on campus and ensuring
that they run smoothly. It also includes overseeing and editing documents and information that is
handed out to students and other faculty members. It also ensures the integrity and maintenance
of the supply of office / classroom supplies which can be very crucial to learning in this
environment. The secretary must also be able to work well under pressure and continue to work
efficiently with many distractions from their surroundings. Lastly, it includes responding to
incoming calls and emails and answering any questions that the general public or those attending
/ working at the university have. Job requirements include having a highschool diploma, basic
computer knowledge, being flexible, able to work well independently as well as with others, and
being pleasant.

Missing from Old​: Generate memos and emails with information regarding programs in the
university as well as answer general questions about those programs asked by the student body
and faculty.
 Compare and Contrast
The ability to multitask while maintaining complex schedules is listed in both job
descriptions. Both titles seem to include managing others and guiding them to make correct and
safe decisions; whether in the lab, or regarding on-campus housing. Both job descriptions also
include a dire need for organizational skills (but can be in different forms). The lab assistant may
need to organize kitchen equipment and reporting forms, while the secretary may need to
organize mail, electronic documents, emails, and the schedule of others as well as their own.
Each organizational realm is important, regardless of their differences. They both keep people
(and equipment) safe and on the right track to success; whether they promote the longevity of the
equipment in a kitchen or promote the academic success of a student. Both jobs also require the
maintenance of equipment (one regards office / classroom equipment, and the other lab
equipment); but both are equally important in terms of learning. Lastly, both jobs require the
hirees to give guidance to many. The lab assistant will need to guide those in the lab and give
them all the information they need to make sound decisions and actions while they are in the lab.
The secretary guides many in decision making while discussing with them any questions that
they may have about the university, its policies, and events that take place there regularly. Both
are very important in shaping the minds of the students who attend the university and shaping the
lives of those who work there as well.

Sustainability and Waste Reduction

1. How can the amount of beverage paper/plastic products be reduced?

 - There could be rewards (such as a price discount) for those who bring their own reusable
cup to the facility to be refilled.
- The facility could not offer straws anymore and require people to ask for them if they
want them.
- They could sell reusable products such as straws, coffee mugs with lids, and tumbler cups
that are aesthetically pleasing and reasonably priced for anyone to purchase.
- The facility could supply recycling bins for the patrons to have the opportunity to recycle
any materials they can.

2. What are some other ways to reduce waste in this facility?

- By encouraging reusable products and recycling for the products that cannot be reused.
- By offering fresh and ready to eat products (eaten in the dining hall and on a plate / with
reusable cups / utensils) as opposed to the takeaway option with a lot of plastic.
- By giving a discount to those who provide their own containers to store the food they buy
instead of using the facility’s.
- By promoting the appeal and aesthetic of sustainability and how people can “do their
part” by eating at their facility

3. How would sustainability measures impact costs?

- The facility would decrease almost all of their plastic / paper expenditures and also
reduce labor cost for the time it would spend to package it all.
- The company would also have to buy much less disposable cups and also have to wash
less dishes if the customers provided their own cups and containers as well.
- The facility might need to spend more time and resources on washing the dishes
- There will also be a decrease amount of waste that the facility produces so there may be a
decrease in waste management / removal costs
- It may increase the amount of customers who like the appeal of sustainability, however, it
may decrease the customers who need the convenience of plastic packaging and eating
accessories.
4. Create a SWOT analysis of your ideas to promote sustainability and reduce waste using your
answers above to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
- Strengths​: it's much better for the environment and could be better for the budget too (if
done right). Customers will also feel good about themselves after leaving this facility
because they are taking part in a movement to improve the environment and this may
increase their likelihood of coming back to the facility to eat
- Weaknesses​: many people enjoy the convenience of heavily packaged food and it might
be hard to get them to switch and realize the beneficial impact living sustainably has on
the environment (starting with restaurant-type eating)
- Opportunities​: this could be a great business venture if done right - partnering with zero
waste / reusable dishware companies and it could potentially make the company save
money in the long run
- Threats​: competitors who are not “low waste” may get most of this facility’s old clientele
who do not appreciate their new sustainability practices

Conversion to Room Service Case Study

1. Discuss the pros and cons of traditional cook/serve versus room service feeding models.
- Pros​:
 - Cook/serve is much easier in terms of inventory, ordering, preparation, and chef
duties. Every person gets relatively the same food so there is little thinking /
creativity going on when preparing each meal. It may also be cost effective to be
able to buy many ingredients in bulk and cook them the exact same way at the
same time as well.
- Room service is much better tailored to the customer and what they want. It limits
waste because they are much more likely to enjoy the foods they pick than what is
chosen for them.
- Cons​:
- Cook / serve does not please everyone, even if there is an alternate each day. It
can lead to a lot of food and plastic waste and which leads to further
dissatisfaction from the consumers and the facility.
- Room service is harder for the cooks and may be harder to keep up with delivery
too. Since everyone’s order is different and must be sent to different floors at
different times, it leaves a lot of room for confusion and mistakes.

2. What are issues related to sustainability for each method?

- Cook serve has proved to produce a lot of food waste for the company and probably also
a lot of plastic waste as well. Since every person gets the same side dishes and does not
get to choose, it is likely that many of the residents will not like the side and end up just
throwing it away (creating more waste for the facility).
- Restaurant style will drastically decrease the food waste and possibly decrease the plastic
waste as well if measures are taken to use more sustainable eating accessories. Restaurant
style also has the option to have “small” and “large” sizes to decrease food waste that
way too. If patients think they are being overfed and wasting half of the food they receive
through cook / serve, this may be a good option for them to just be served less food.

3. What are potential impacts of a nursing shortage on patient meal satisfaction for each system?
- Patients often complain to nurses about the state of their meals or tell them how they
want things prepared or presented to them. Nurses often know the patient better than any
other member of the healthcare team because they spend the most time with them; this
gives them an advantage with an insight into what the patients really need. With a
decrease in nursing staff, also comes a decreased connection with the patients. This will
have a domino effect that will essentially lead to great dissatisfaction of the residents and
a barrier between them and the kitchen.
- Cook / serve: the nurses are typically the ones who deliver the meals to the patients once
they are brought up in bulk by the kitchen staff. It is their job to ensure the food gets to
the correct patient and while it is still hot (or cold). The nurses get the brunt of complaints
from the patients about the state of the food when they receive it as well. A shortage in
 nursing staff with this system would result in patients receiving cold food, patients
possibly receiving the wrong food, and patients having no one to give feedback to about
the state of their food; and they will most likely blame the kitchen staff for these
downfalls.
- Restaurant style: nurses will most likely not deliver the majority of the food; it is likely
there will be a delivery service (workers assigned to deliver the meals when they are
ready). This will also give the patients the opportunity to give their feedback to whoever
delivered their food to them (omitting the nurses from that scene). The only major impact
that nurses have in the restaurant style is them observing the food waste after the patients
are finished eating.

4. Discuss the importance of customer feedback in continuous quality improvement specifically

related to food service.
- Customer feedback is essential to continuous quality improvement and should be taken
very seriously. It is essential that feedback is obtained from every client and done so
often for it to be accurate and useful. Food can bring many things to a patient; happiness,
connection, nourishment, and comfort. If the food is not appetizing, displayed well, or
delivered in the right amount of time / temperature, the patient will be greatly dissatisfied.
There are many things to consider when discussing customer satisfaction in food service,
so obtaining customer feedback is very important to the success of the food service
operation.

5. What steps are needed to transform from traditional cook/serve to room service feeding?
- A menu change must occur to offer all items the cooks are able to make (include simple
crowd pleasers and also special menu items as well).
- Equipment needs to be reevaluated and new equipment might have to be purchased to
accommodate the new menu.
- Surveys can be sent out to see what current patients want to see on the new menu.
- There must be a sound method of ordering (through a portal, by calling the kitchen,
through an ambassador, etc).
- All patients and staff must be notified of the change and prepared accordingly.
- The kitchen might have to be slightly remodeled to accommodate the change in flow and
change in equipment.
- Food suppliers might have to be switched to accommodate the new change in menu /
ingredients needed regularly.
- Scheduling will change as well (less need for preparation time) and there will need to be
an increase in staff who can cook.
6. How would a transition to room service meal delivery impact labor and staffing throughout the
involved departments?
- The makeup of the kitchen staff would need to change. Instead of having dietary aids,
there would need to be more chefs and line cooks who can make more elaborate dishes
on the spot instead of just low paid workers doing mindless jobs like putting food on the
trays.
- More staff will need to be mobile and able to run and deliver meals to each floor when
necessary.
- FNS - observe the making of the new menu and ensure all nutrition information is
accurate and displayed in an appealing manner.
- Clinical Dietitian- would need to calculate the nutrition information for the new menu
changes and list menu items that are “vegan, vegetarian, heart healthy, low sodium, and
diabetic friendly”.
- Nurse directors - be prepared to discuss the new menu with patients and help them order
both online and orally.
- Marketing Director - create a visually appealing and easy to read menu for customers to
view and order from orally (where both the customer and the kitchen understand well).
- IT - work on an online ordering service for the patients to go through and also make
menu changes to fit the new restaurant style menu type.
- Assistant Director- oversee the menu change in all departments and assist where needed.
- Administration - promote and be able to discuss menu changes and how they will affect
the company's revenue and budget in terms of staffing, ordering, and new patient
increase.

7. What departments should be involved on the planning team for room service implementation?
- The Food and Nutrition Supervisor (FNS), Chief Clinical Dietitian, Nurse Directors for
all in-patient units, Marketing Director, Information Technology (IT) Assistant Director,
and Administration.

Fallsburg Case Study

Assignment
1. Review all information provided.
2. The goal is to balance the budget. Suggest two ideas that may move the budget in the correct
direction considering all of the limitations listed.
- Administration could promote fundraisers throughout the school year in each class to
increase profits and decrease the need for a budget cut in other departments. This could
be in the form of selling magazines, chocolates, school apparel, or school trips. This
method would omit the tough decision of where to cut the budget (since budget cuts are
hoped to be avoided unless absolutely necessary). Another way to move the budget in the
correct direction would be to cut the principles salaries in each school to $95,000
(decrease of $7,000 each = $63,000). If the budget is no longer tight for a year, the
principals can get a bonus or a salary increase from there. The teachers salaries are too
low to cut further and they will also have to deal with the increase in the number of
students attending their school in this upcoming year, which is essentially more work
with an equal amount of pay.

3. From the Teachers perspective what might be their major priority and item they are unwilling
to yield on?
- The teachers would not be willing to compromise on their salaries and their benefits from
the school (decreasing in steps / levels). They also would like a confirmation of job
security with the new budget cuts threatening the school. They are willing to take on
more students per classroom in order to keep their salaries the same instead of hiring new
/ more teachers to accommodate the influx of students. I believe this is fair and that the
budget cuts should not come from their paychecks.
4. From the administration's perspective, what might be their major priority and item they are
unwilling to yield on?
- Administration is willing to keep teachers salaries the same, but they are not willing to
hire new teachers because there is not room in the budget for that. They will expect the
current teachers to add more students to their class to accommodate the influx of students
and they will not cut the teachers salaries as a compromise. Administration knows the
importance of a balanced budget and should be willing to compromise more than other
departments. If the school fails, they will hurt the most from it; there are many teaching
jobs out there, but there are limited administrative positions and they should value their
job accordingly.