Management-Labor Negotiation Simulation

Questions Summative

Happy Steel company’s negotiation simulation (group work) [5 marks per group]

Class activity (individual) AFTER the simulation:

Instructions: Individually in a Word Document answer the next following questions and submitted to
the respective place (MB for HL or TEAMS for SL). To do these you should review the content of Unit
2 (Human Resource) of the BM subject.

A. Briefly explain TWO (2) human resource strategies Happy Steel company’s management
team could have employed to reach the best outcome? [4 marks]

B. What leadership style do you think would be best for management to reach their ideal
outcome? Reason your answer. [4 marks]

C. What management style do you think would be best for management to reach their ideal
outcome? Reason your answer. [4 marks]

D. (HL ONLY!) Evaluate the different methods of conflict resolution that this scenario can
or/and can’t apply (all of them according to our textbook) and give a recommendation to
management on the better approach to a conflict solution explaining your reasons. (it can be
a combination of methods at the end after the evaluation of each; from arbitration to no-
strike agreement or single-union agreement; please be sure to review your textbook on this
as well; balance and context your answer). [8 marks]

Reflection sheet to take away and set it later either in MB (for HL) or TEAMS (for SL). 

1. Reflect on your learnings from this activity; on an essay format or addressing directly to the
following questions. Reflect on:

Academic Reflection [5 marks]:

 As a BM student, what did you learn as a result of taking on the role either as a
management or labor negotiator; what where your academic impressions?

 Do you think one side has a more advantageous position? Explain your answer.

 What BM content (unit 2.6) was unknow to you before this activity; what was clear
(and maybe stick in you) after this activity?

 What CUEGIS concepts can be important to consider in this simulation (for example,
workers’ rights in different countries, is this sort of production method and process
sustainable given the issues concerning climate change, or so on).

Personal Reflection [5 marks]:

 Do you think it was a good activity? Why yes, why not.

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Questions Summative

 What would you change, what would you keep?

 Do you think that the purpose of understanding employers & employee relationship
(Unit 2.6) was achieved? If not, what do you think we need to do to this activity to
better aim for this goal?

 Were the instructions and case study comprehensive? What part of the information
was completely clear, what was unclear?

 What information do you think you may need if we do this exercise again in the
future, and was NOT there, for a better understanding and comprehension of the
case study and its requirements in general.

 What was the strengths and the weaknesses on your group? The individual
participations of the members (who according to you was weak/strong and why -is
okay to give names-) on your group and your own participation (you can make a
chart of this).

 What was the strengths and the weaknesses on your own participation, what can
you do yourself to improve? (you can make a chart of this).

 Any last thoughts?

2. Use a KWL chart and set at least 3 bullet points for each of the parts in the chart. [5 marks]

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Questions Summative

5 Whys: The Ultimate Root Cause

Analysis Tool
You know what the problem is, but you cannot solve it? The 5 Whys technique
will allow you to quickly dissect the problem and reveal its underlying causes.

Introduction

Unpredicted problems may occur in any team or process. However, problems are
just symptoms of deeper issues. Fixing a problem quickly may be a convenient solution,
however, it doesn’t protect your work process from recurring mistakes. This is why your
team needs to focus on finding the root cause and tackle it properly.

The 5 Whys technique is one of the most effective tools for root cause analysis
in the Lean management arsenal. Every team faces roadblocks in its daily work.
However, using the 5 Whys will help you find the root cause of any problem and protect
the process from recurring mistakes and failures.

Origin of 5 Whys

The 5 Whys method is part of the Toyota Production System. Developed

by Sakichi Toyoda, a Japanese inventor and industrialist, the technique became an
integral part of the Lean philosophy (six-sigma).

“The basis of Toyota’s scientific approach is to ask why five times

whenever we find a problem … By repeating why five times, the nature of the
problem as well as its solution becomes clear.” Taiichi Ohno

One of the key factors for successful implementation of the technique is to take
an informed decision. This means that the decision-making process should be based on
an insightful understanding of what is actually happening on the work floor.

In other words, the root cause analysis process should include people with
practical experience. Logically, they can give you the most valuable information
regarding any problem that appears in their area of expertise.

5 Whys Analysis in Action

When applying the 5 Whys technique, you want to get to the essence of the
problem and then fix it. Actually, the 5 Whys may show you that the source of the
problem is quite unexpected.

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Often, issues that are considered as a technical problem actually turn out to be
human and process problems.

This is why finding and eliminating the root cause is crucial if you want to avoid
iteration of failures.

Here is an example of applying the 5 Whys.

Problem – We didn’t send the newsletter for latest software updates on time.

1. Why didn’t we send the newsletter on time? Updates were not implemented

until the deadline.
2. Why were the updates not implemented on time? Because the developers
were still working on the new features.
3. Why were the developers still working on the new features? One of the new
developers didn’t know the procedures.
4. Why was the new developer unfamiliar with all procedures? He was not
trained properly.
5. Why was he not trained properly? Because the CTO believes that new
employees don’t need thorough training and they should learn while working.

Source: https://kanbanize.com/lean-management/improvement/5-whys-analysis-tool

Activity [5 marks]:

Using the 5 why’s tool, respond to at least ONE (1) of the issues in Happy Steel
company’s negotiation simulation, and try to set up at the end a solution.

Activity #2 [5 marks]

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Questions Summative

At the end of your paper, give the self-evaluation asked during the whole negotiation
process; leader do a small evaluation of all the members of the group; the rest do an
evaluation of the leader itself. (attached at the end of your answers to this assignment)

 BONUS [2 marks]: Learn more about what is Lean philosophy (six-sigma) and set
up a brief explanation of your findings.