Assignments
Case: "Managing Motivation in a Difficult Economy"
Due Sep 7, 2014 11:59 PM

ERA OF THE DISPOSABLE WORKER
Learning Objectives: Define organizational behavior (OB); Show the value to OB of systematic study; Demonstrate the importance of interpersonal skills in the workplace; Describe the manager’s functions, roles, and skills; Identify the challenges and opportunities managers have in applying IB concepts; Demonstrate why few absolutes apply to OB
Learning Outcomes: Define organizational behavior and identify the variables associated with its study; Describe the factors that influence the formation of individual attitudes and values; Apply the study of perception and attribution to the workplace; Define diversity and describe the effects of diversity in the workforce; Describe the nature of conflict and the negotiation process; Describe best practices for creating and sustaining organizational cultures; Describe best practices for creating and sustaining organizational cultures; Describe the components of human resource practices
The Scenario
The great global recession has claimed many victims. In many countries, unemployment is at near-historic highs, and even those who have managed to keep their jobs have often been asked to accept reduced work hours or pay cuts. Another consequence of the current business and economic environment is an increase in the number of individuals employed on a temporary or contingent basis.
The statistics on U.S. temporary workers are grim. Many, like single mother Tammy Smith, have no health insurance, no retirement benefits, no vacation, no severance, and no access to unemployment insurance. Increases in layoffs mean that many jobs formerly considered safe have become “temporary” in the sense that they could disappear at any time with little warning. Forecasts suggest that the next five to ten years will be similar,