Additional Case 1.1 Managers at Caplin Company Are Having a Strategic Planning Session

question 76

Multiple Choice

Additional Case 1.1
Managers at Caplin Company are having a strategic planning session with the director of HR. They are discussing the fit between the company's overall management philosophy, organizational structure, organizational culture, and the firm's current HR strategies. During the meeting, the management team asks the HR Director for a profile of the current workforce. The HR Director reports that the workforce used to be 85% white, 50% male. Now it is 50% white, 50% minority with twice as many women as men. Supervisors still tend to be white males.
The management team discusses how to control costs, improve quality, and create distinctive capabilities. Several ideas are raised, discussed, and tabled; some topics are assigned to an individual for further exploration. Managers comment that some workers arrive at start time, take 30 minutes before initiating any work, and begin to pack up for the day 30 minutes before quitting time. Managers also indicate that employees do not seem concerned about working hard or about building quality products.
As the meeting draws to a close, the team briefly discusses the firm's commitment to the surrounding community. As a cost-cutting measure, the firm eliminated its support of an adult literacy program last year. Company facilities were used for conducting reading classes. The management team decides that the firm should reinstate the program and appoints the HR Director to notify the local literacy council.
-Refer to Additional Case 1.3.What is the most likely benefit of creating a common culture at the firm?

• A) Lowering overall production costs
• B) Minimizing the need for additional employee training
• C) Enhancing international and domestic recruiting efforts
• D) Increasing cooperation among domestic and international employees

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Definitions:

Nonverbal Cues

Forms of communication without words, including gestures, body language, facial expressions, and eye contact, which can convey much about a person's thoughts and feelings.

Active Listener

A person who fully concentrates, understands, responds, and remembers what is being said in a conversation.

Physical Distractions

External factors in the environment that can divert an individual's attention away from the task at hand, affecting their focus and productivity.

Communication Attempt

An effort made to convey information, ideas, or feelings to another party through verbal, nonverbal, or written means.