...Overcoming Workplace Discrimination GM591 Leadership and Organizational Behavior April 15, 2012 Dr. Barb Vallera Introduction The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Inc. is the oldest and largest privately-held specialty coffee and tea retailer in the United States, whose corporate headquarters are in Los Angeles, CA. They have experienced steady growth and profits since their conception in 1963, but have since embarked upon an international expansion boost. The company has expanded at such a rapid pace that they are considering an IPO in the next couple of years to raise further capital. We primarily sell premium coffee and tea blends that are harvested across the world from private farmers and growers to ensure exclusivity. We select only the top 1% Arabica beans and the finest hand-plucked, whole leaf teas. Our coffee is freshly roasted daily in small batches in a manual European roast style in our private roasting facility. All of our teas are hand blended under the direction of our tea master. Today we proudly offer over 30 varieties of coffee and 20 varieties of teas. In addition to our coffee and tea selection, we have developed the CBTL system, which is a single-serve, automatic proportioning system that provides customers with The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf experience in the comfort of their own home. You can now find The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf products in grocery stores, restaurants, and offices. The company has grown to be an international...
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...Employee Engagement at Ultra Foods in Forest Park, IL. Course Project Prepared by: Omar Elane mrelane@sbcglobal.net Keller Graduate School of Management Professor: Donna Darr 6/9/12 Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………….3 Problem Statement………………………………………………………….4 Literature Review……………………………………………………………5 Analysis……………………………………………………………………….9 Proposed Solutions……………………………………….………………..11 Reflection…………………………………………………………………….13 References……………………………………………………………………15 Introduction The retail industry is pretty stabilized in today’s economy. The ability to have a competitive advantage is the key to survival. The grocery business has a history low job satisfaction and high performance which are costly to the organizations bottom line. This paper will document the issues that are affecting the organizational culture at the Ultra Foods in Forest Park, IL. Ultra Foods is the organization that will be closely analyzed for this course project. It is a privately owned, regional, super warehouse food retailer whose company headquarters is located in Highland, Indiana. It competes in the Supermarkets and Other Grocery (except Convenience) Stores under the NAICS number 445110(IBIS). The chain of stores is subsidiaries of the parent company Central Grocers. The chain has been undergoing constant growth and expanding in the states of Illinois and Indiana. The grocery chain reached a milestone in 2011 when they reached $1 billion dollars in sales. I recently...
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...LIFESTYLE INVENTORY PAPER MEMORANDUM Date: November 6, 2011 Subject: Life Style Inventory Paper As per your request to prepare a personal learning agenda in GM591, I have completed my own “Life Styles Circumplex” profile. Below is the analysis of my “Life Styles Circumplex” profile and my personal learning agenda in GM591. Part I: Issues and Events The biggest challenge I face in the wholesale/retail industry (previous job) is dealing with people from all works of life. It is interesting to note that during the course of the month, at work, I will come across someone that will do or say something that will almost get me upset and in some cases succeed in getting me upset. I have read books that address issues like anger management, customer service and good people skills. I usually exercise good self-control in these areas. Another issue I deal with is trust. Over the years, I have found it increasing difficult to trust people, especially customers. There is an adage in the automotive retail industry that says, “Customers are liars.” The third main issue is discernment of people and their motives for doing and saying certain things. I continuously strive to be more holistic and well-rounded in all areas of my life. I am aware of the dangers of anger, distrust and naivety when they become the dominant part of one’s life, even if it is for a brief period. If these issues are not addressed, they can destroy one’s life, job or other vital relationships, especially the business-client...
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...Janie Cedillo July 18, 2010 GM591 Life Styles Inventory: Self-Description My primary style is the Humanistic-Encouraging Style. According to results in this area, I have a high tendency to care about others and accept others for who they are without any question. My second highest ranking style is the Affiliative Style. According to the guide, when ranking in this category, People are categorized by: A tendency to value relationships above all else * A need to build relationships that are meaningful and reciprocal * Strong, well-developed interpersonal skills * A tendency to motivate others using genuine praise and friendliness I do believe that these styles have a great impact on both my personal and work life. I tend to accept people for who they are without any questions. I also tend to believe that everyone has the potential to be their best at what they do. When a family member feels as though they are incapable of succeeding or getting through a rough time, I am always by their side to assist in anything they might need. I must also admit that there are times that I go above and beyond to make sure that the person I care about gets the result they are seeking. In response to the Affiliative Style result, I can also agree with the position it ranked in my inventory. I have a student assistant that works for me, and I believe that if we have a good relationship, then we can get a lot of the work done with superior results. Since I am the type of...
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...Styles Inventory (LSI) Oliver Perez, Olliep2@gmail.com, GM591 Leadership and Organizational Behavior Prof. Terri Horton, 05/14/2011 After reviewing my results it shows that my “Primary” thinking skill is being Affiliative. My “Backup” is Self-Actualizing. Being “Affiliative” relates to how much you value relationships with everyone you meet or interact with. Sharing thoughts and feelings come easy to this person, to open a sense of trust. “Self-Actualizing” is a sense of knowing that you can always be a better you, and having realistic views. Knowing that you can become something greater and more fulfilling. They are also aware of both their “Own” feelings and “Others. Within my “Primary” thinking skill, my life is usually surrounded by personal interaction. Whether it is with my friends and family, or with colleagues and upper management at my work place, I’m comfortable with getting to know a person. I do agree with the high percentile that I have gotten with this area on my circumplex. I personally like to build up relationships with others so that I can gain one’s trust. I feel that, if there is no trust in any relationship, there is no meaning to it, and neither one of us will benefit from each other. That saying also goes for work, if I cannot achieve my colleague’s trust; I feel that I would not have any type of connection to them. With no connection, neither of us would want to help each other out on any projects. When gaining my supervisor or managers trust, I like...
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...The Forgotten Group Member Darrin Chatman dachatman08@yahoo.com GM591-Leadership and Organizational Behavior November 13, 2011 Professor Jack Murphy The Forgotten Group Member Part I: Group Development The group is in the performing stage of their class project in Organizational Behavior. Moreover, the team can be characterized as an immature team due to team loyalty, cohesion, communications, and use of member’s resources. On the other hand, Christine could have addressed the stages of team development at the beginning of the creation of the group. Furthermore, she could have incorporated the stages during each week of the course. For example, as the “Team Coordinator,” Christine should have begun with forming the group to get to know one another whereby storming to define the groups tasks. Nonetheless, the stage of norming would have contributed to completing the performing stage with minimal conflict. Part II: Problem Identification My opinion the primary problem is the lack of communication within the group. Christine made a suggestion on what time to meet to discuss the project and an agreement was never made. Also, every time she suggested a team meeting there were roadblocks due to other member’s commitment to work and other personal conflicts. Furthermore, the secondary problem within the group is loyalty and cohesion. The group could never perform on the same accord which caused a lack of cohesion. On the other hand, the group lost loyalty when...
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...Course Project Proposal GM591- Leadership and Organizational Behavior I. Overview of Organization and My Role in it The Emirates Airlines is the organization that will be the topic of discussion in my final project. “Emirates Airlines is the Emirates Group’s rapidly expanding and award winning international Airline. Emirates started in Dubai and flew out with only two aircrafts in 1985 on 25th October which involved just a leased Boeing 737 and an airbus 300 B4. Today the Airline has orders worth over US$ 68 billion for 200 more of the latest aircraft, with plans to operate in many more destinations in the months and years ahead. Emirates global network now sees it flying to over 110 destinations across 6 continents, operating a modern fleet of over 150 wide-bodied aircraft. Emirates airlines accounts to about 40% of the total movements of flights and aiming for at least 70% total flights coming in and going out of Dubai International Airport.” (http://www.emirates247.com/look-back-2010-onto-2011/the-most-popular-stories-of-2010) I am an accountant for Emirates Airlines and in charge of creating a project aiming to increase the company’s market share and gain more profit without sacrificing the company’s quality of services and reputation. I just recently began my employment in the company and now facing the big challenge of creating this project and attaining the goal of making it huge in international...
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...GM591 Leadership and Organizational Behavior Through utilizing the information from the case study of “The Forgotten Group Member,” and the explanation of the stages of team development in the course textbook, Organizational Behavior, (2010, p. 166) of forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning, the majority of the group members are in the norming stage, but never resolved issues that started in the storming stage. Therefore, collectively, they are still in the storming stage. The group is in a state of conflict because Mike is non-committal with meeting, does not hand in quality work, and is acting jealous of the relationships the team has formed while in his absence. Mike’s role in the group was not clearly defined. Christine is the team coordinator, Steve is assigned to creating an agenda each meeting, Diane is resourceful, and Janet is reliable in doing more than what is expected for the group. All of these roles have been informally defined, and Mike’s role and expectations were not defined well enough for him to see his value to the group. In the forming stage of team development, team members are concerned more with seeing where they fit in, and what their role is on the team. Since the rest of the group has been meeting, they have formed a relationship and a clique without Mike. When other group members see they are not being included, this can create emotion and conflict, which is characteristic of the storming stage. Later in the case, we learn...
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...Becoming a High Performance Organization: A study of Alpha Newspaper Group. Introduction The subject of my course project is Alpha Newspaper Group. Alpha is a print media company that I worked for in 2009. They own regional newspapers throughout the country that are published on a weekly basis. Alpha operates two main headquarters; one in the north of the country, where the business was established and where the owners reside, and one in the midlands where I worked. Our office oversaw the publication of 5 newspapers in the local area with a staff of 30 or so journalists, editors, production designers, HR personnel and management. The print media industry is going through tough times. Technological advances and access to free information have had a negative effect on sales and revenue raised through advertising. It’s led to serious questions being posed about the future of the industry. The need to adapt like any other industry in today’s climate is present. Added to this the economic recession has not helped. Newspapers are a staple in people’s expenditure however value for money is still sought. There is plenty of competition and the product needs to maintain high standards. Whilst I was working for the company Alpha were looking down every avenue in order to reduce costs. Alpha had an organizational structure that placed a lot of power in the northern headquarters. The owners worked predominantly from there and had far less direct contact with the midland office. They...
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...Reinventing Organizational Behavior: Recommendations to Improve Communication at DSW Jessica Detwiler Keller Graduate School of Management Jessica.m.detwiler@gmail.com GM591 – Leadership and Organizational Behavior Dr. Arnold Witchel 14 April 2012 Author Note Thank you to my colleagues whom allow me to pick their brains regarding our organization. I appreciate your honest feedback and candid conversation, which has allowed me to remain objective. I hope to have put our organization in the best possible light, while still being able to make valid recommendations to improve our organizational culture. Abstract This manuscript details research performed on identifying organizational behavior problems at a specific federal facility. Topics discussed include identifying key issues and providing potential solutions to improve the effectiveness of the company. There is also a section that analyzes the root cause of the identified problem areas. Finally, there is a reflection section that details lessons learned throughout the course. Reinventing Organizational Behavior: Recommendations to Improve Communication at DSW The Desert Southwest Region (DSW) of the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) is a federal service region that “markets hydroelectricity power to nearly 70 municipalities, cooperatives, federal and state agencies, and irrigation districts.” (About, 2012) The DSW regional office “maintains and operates more than 40 substations and 3,100 miles...
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...thinking styles may influence my behavior as a manager and to help me to determine how to use the results for self-improvement. After taking this inventory, my circumplex shows that my primary thinking style is affiliative (2 o’clock position) and my back up thinking style is conventional (4 o’clock position). While I can identify with the affiliative style of thinking, I do not believe the conventional thinking style is a true depiction of the way I think. Part I Personal Thinking Styles: At the 11 o’ clock position was my “primary” thinking style was “achievement.” My ranking on this style was in the 95% percentile. The achievement style indicates an interest in and a proficiency at attaining high-quality results on challenging projects. It also states that achievers are motivated to succeed by their own values and beliefs. The achievement...
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...New Belgium Brewery | A new approach | | | GM591 Course Project GM591 Course Project TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION II. PROBLEM STATEMENT III. LITERATURE REVIEW IV. ANALYSIS V. SOLUTIONS VI. REFLECTION VII. REFERENCES I. The New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado was founded by Jeff Lebesch in 1989. The highly motivated entrepreneur started with a different yet simple concept; brew a better beer than anyone else. So Jeff went into the basement of his home and started working on several different brews, but specifically worked to perfect his two signature beers and the first mass produced products; Abbey and Fat Tire. It took just two years for the company to grow large enough that the basement was no longer sufficient and New Belgium moved into its first commercial brewing space and has continued to grow from there. The brewery has grown to the size that produced and sold over 580,000 barrels of beer in 2009 and expects to sell over 700,000 barrels in 2010 (JUICEBOX, 2010). The revenue generated by New Belgium has helped to make the brewery the 8th largest in the United States (JG Press, Inc, 2003). New Belgium beer is brewed exclusively at the Fort Collins location and is now available in 26 states from coast to coast (JUICEBOX, 2010). The company has grown from a dream in a man’s basement to currently utilizing over 200 employee owners and boasts sales of over 32 million dollars in 2009 (JUICEBOX, 2010). NBB...
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...Course Project Petrofac Logistics Performance Course Instructor GM591 - Leadership and Organizational Behavior John Drabouski Student Mohamed Fadel Bouledroua bouledroua@gmail.com February 2012 Introduction Petrofac is an international provider of integrated facilities solutions to the oil and gas production and processing industries. Some key facts about Petrofac: More than 14,500 employees and 27 offices worldwide. Seven business units providing life of asset solutions; from design to decommissioning. Quoted on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. 2010 Revenue of US$4,354m and Net profit of US$557.8m. Its business unit, Petrofac Engineering & Construction (E&C) based at Sharjah UAE, provides engineering & construction services from concept and feasibility studies through to detailed design and full project execution tailored to meet both the project and the customers’ requirements. Petrofac E&C can provide tailored and integrated engineering; procurement and construction (EPC) project delivery solutions. As part of its integrated EPC project implementation capability, Petrofac E&C provides: Health, safety, security and environmental management. Comprehensive quality assurance and control Project management Detailed design and engineering Procurement including inspection and logistics of all project materials and equipment Pre-fabrication and onsite construction Commissioning...
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...Baggage, LLC Motivating Employees in a Small Business Course Project – Week 7 Alaina J. Fingal Class GM591 – June 19, 2011 Keller Graduate School of Management Introduction Baggage, L.L.C. was conceived in early August 2010 by three women named Alaina Fingal, Elizabeth Ellis and Takisha Sanders. The idea stemmed from the burning desire of each of the ladies to start a business in fashion. Realizing that starting on the journey of selling apparel would be a task none of them were ready to embark upon alone, they decided to work together to offer high quality handbags at a price that would be lower than competitors and appreciated by consumers. The overall goal of Baggage LLC is to provide women ages 25-40 with unique handbags that satisfy their demand for style at a cost that will comfortably fit their budget. Baggage partners with up and coming handbag designers in order to bring their fashionable products to consumers through handbag parties hosted in New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding areas and through Baggage’s custom website (www.claimedbaggage.com). Baggage is a brand and a lifestyle that allows women across the span of the world the opportunity to express themselves and to claim their “inner-diva” through the array of handbag collections by various designers. Baggage provides each client with not only a high quality product, but a priceless experience. We are the next generation of fashion, dominating the industry one handbag at a time! Baggage-Everybody has...
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...Improving Wal-Mart’s Employee Relations GM591: Leadership and Organizational Behavior April 20, 2010 INTRODUCTION The Organization that we selected as our topic of discussion in our Project Paper is the Wal-Mart Corporation. Sam Walton is the founder of Wal-Mart. He opened his first store called Wal-Mart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas in July of 1962. Their corporate office is currently located in Bentonville, Arkansas. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. incorporated its stores on October 31, 1969. In 1972, they started selling stock on the New York Stock exchange. Although, though the company has had controversial operational business practices they have grown to be the largest Retail Corporations in the world. In 1997, Wal-Mart was able to become the largest private employer in the United States. In that same year, their annual sales totaled over $105 billion. In 2010, Wal-Mart has over 2.1 million employees worldwide. There 2010 fiscal year sales exceeded $400 billion dollars (Wal-Mart About Us, 2010). I have been a loyal customer of Wal-Mart for years. Therefore, I was shocked when I found out about some of Wal-Marts questionable unofficial policies through talks with friends and family members who worked for them in the past and some who currently employed by them. My mother in law worked for them from 2006 thru 2008. She was required to work 8-hour shifts without a lunch break on a regular basis. One of my cousins was required to clock out because...
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