SYLLABUS
Entrepreneurship – Human Resource Management
Course Objective:
One of the most difficult tasks of a manager is tapping all the human potential available in an organization to encourage innovation. Whether the manager is a lone employee who must interact with clients, accountants, lawyers, and bankers, or a highly trained professional supervising the work of a full contingent of scientists, people management is at the center of creating value and tapping ideas in a working enterprise. The purpose of this course is to create awareness of key human resource management issues facing innovation-seeking managers, then choose from among various options. Course objectives are to
An emphasis is placed on highly relevant and practical concerns of managers and entrepreneurs through various in-class and field learning experience
Book:
Lester, Gregory W. (1995) Power with People, How to Handle Just
About Anyone to Accomplish Just About Anything.
Course Content:
Students will be expected to read all assignments and complete all assigned cases and field research work for in-class exercises. Assignments must be turned in on time for credit. Each missing or late assignment will result in the drop of one letter grade for that grading category. In addition, each student will present a report on a pre-approved topic.
Grades:
Grades will be weighted as follows:
Cases
50%
Field Research 25
Project
25
100%
Term Project:
Students select one of tthree choices for the term project. If already engaged as an entrepreneur, the student is encouraged to complete the project using Option 1, although the student will not be restricted if Option 2 or 3 is of more interest:
Option 1
You will write 2 short papers on particular human resources problems you have experienced. The purpose of the papers will be to determine whether you handled the problem as well as you could have. The format of the paper should be as follows:
1st Section: Discuss what happened in a human resource problem you personally experienced. Describe the incident from your own perspective and from the perspective of the employee, family member, client, or advisor.
2nd Section: Describe the results of the problem. What were your feelings before, during, and after the incident? How do you think the other person felt or reacted to the problem?
3rd Section: Find a topic we covered in class and describe how that topic relates to the problem you experienced. Fully state how the topic either confirms or disputes the way you handled the problem.
4th Section: Write a conclusion about the incident. Either describe why you think your action was incorrect or confirm that it was correct. State whether the choice you made could have had a better result or outcome. Decide whether the information we learned in class was correct or incorrect in how this particular problem should be handled.
Option 2
Find an entrepreneur you admire and a topic we covered that is of interest
to you. Discuss with the entrepreneur how he/she handled the particular human
resource management issue in his/her firm. Find out what worked well and what
didn’t. What is a continuing ongoing concern about the issue? After your
discussions, assess what was done well by the entrepreneur and what could have
been done better. Use the information you learned in class to improve the
actions taken by the entrepreneur. If the entrepreneur did everything
correctly, use the information learned in class to show why. Conclude with a
discussion of how you would handle a similar issue in your own company. Use
generous references to the material learned in class.
Option 3
Get a team of 2 or 3 people from class. Research various personality disorders, such as :psychopaths and sociopaths (anti-social personality disorder – this is very different than being shy as an anti-social), narcissistic personality disorders borderline personality disorders, manic-depressives, dependent personality disorder histrionic personality disorder conduct disorders obsessive-compulsives, and other personality difficulties you find in your research .Report your findings and experiences in the final presentation. What action should be taken should find yourself involved with employees of these type?
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Week 1 -- Getting Organized
Discussion Topic:
Entrepreneurial Loneliness – The Weight of Your World is on Your Shoulders: Staffing Options with Various Resource Constraints and Goal Incongruities; Professionals vs. Careerists vs. Jobbers vs. Staffers
Speaker (if available)
Week 2
Case Presentation: Bennett's Machine Shop
Discussion Topic:
Motivation and Performance: Tradeoffs for Creating a High-Performing and/or
Innovative Environment while Maintaining "Control."
"Understanding the Entrepreneurial Perspective in Individuals"
" Developing Creativity and Understanding Innovation"
Assigned
In-Class Movie: The Day after Trinity/Fat Man and Little Boy
Week 3
Discussion Topic:
Personalities: Getting Honest With Yourself; Conflict Resolution and Divergent
Thinking.
Professor Presentation: Background on Hazelton International
"Organizational Conflict"
"Document Reproductions" (Case)
"International Project Manager's Day" (In-basket documents; establish
priorities and number on checklist)
Assigned
In-Class: Exercise with Role Play and Group Decision-Making; Self-Test – Personality Inventory
Week 4
Case (Read Only): "Bill Gates and the Management of
Microsoft" and "Mayor Rudolph Giuliani - Knight of the
Assignment Due: Read brief biographies of Thomas Edison, Andrew Carnegie, Lee Iacocca, and other interesting entrepreur/leaders. Prepare brief description of personality traits and leadership characteristics for discussion in class. Include "dark" side of leadership/entrepreneurship traits.
Discussion Topic:
Entrepreneur – The Ultimate in Leadership; Are Great Leaders/Entrepreneurs Born
or Made? The Role of Organizational Discipline.
Assigned
In Class: "International Project Manager's Day" -- Score and Re-work in groups
Week 5
Case (Read Only); Work in Class: "Antar Automobile
Company"
Case Presentation (Time permitting) or Case Discussion:
"Blinds to Go"
Field Research and In-Class Exercise: Understanding Legal Issues in Human Resources Management (bring your findings). Reference: The HR Function in Emerging Enterprises by Hornsby and Kuratko
"Organizational Blue Prints For Success In High-Tech Start-Ups: Lessons
From The Stanford Project On Emerging Companies"
"HR Practices that Promote Entrepreneurship"
Assigned
Week 6
In Class (during class time)
: Continuation of Week
5 Activities
Assigned
Film clip: We Are Marshall motivation speech; use of “fighting technology” to soothe upset of last remaining original football player.
Discussion: Re-visit cases involving people-handling. Any new insights learned from the Lester book.
Week 7
Case (Read Only), Work in Class: “Employment Selection at Lerner Associates, LLP”
Discussion Topic:
Compensation: From Cash Flow to Stock Options; Your Own, Your Staff’s
“Designing Equity Compensation at Merrick & Company
“ Incentive Compensation and Employee Ownership”
Week 8
Case Presentation: “Salesdriver: The Offer to Mark Sullivan”
Discussion Topic:
International Opportunities – Cultural Differences and Special Staffing Needs
Reading due before class:
“Ethnic Entrepreneurship: The Continuous Rebirth of American Enterprise”
Week 9
Case Presentation: “Russki Adventures”
Discussion Topic:
Sustaining Organizational Growth and Personal Growth – Knowing When to Let Go.
Week 10
Case: Bruce Cruickshank
Discussion Topic:
The Special Case of Families – Family Stresses with or without Family Ownership
“The Family Business Dimension of Entrepreneurship”
“Ethnic Aspects of Entrepreneurship”
Week 11
Case Presentation: Rae and Jerry’s Steakhouse
Final Presentations
OPTIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL
O’Reilly, Charles and Jeffrey Pfeffer, Hidden Value: How Great Companies
Achieve Extraordinary Results with Ordinary People.
Falcone, Paul, 96 Great Interview Questions to Ask Before You Hire.
Hornsby, J. S., and Kuratko, D. F. The Human Resource Function in Emerging Enterprises. Southwestern, 2003.
Adizes, Ichak (1978) Organizational Passages – Diagnosing and Treating Lifecycle Problems of Organizations. Organizational Dynamics, Summer.
Quinn, James Brian (1980) Managing Strategic Change. Sloan Management Review, 21(4), 3-20.
Farris, George F. (1973) The Technical Supervisor: Beyond the Peter Principle. Technology Review, 5.
Ritti, Richard (1968) Work Goals of Scientists and Engineers. Industrial Relations, 7, 118-131.
Maidique, M. A. (1980) Entrepreneurs, Champions and Technological Innovation, Sloan Management Review, 21(2), 59-76.
IN-CLASS EXERCISE
LEGAL ISSUES IN HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Sarah Simmons just slammed the door behind her as she fumed something about “you’ll have my lawyer to speak to about this!”
Bill Jones is the owner of a rapidly growing wholesale business in
Problem 1: A national union has been trying to organize the workers. Bill’s discussions with an old EWU colleague indicate that the union wages are substantially higher than current wages. Further, union work rules would definitely change the way things are done around the warehouses.
Problem 2: A member of a minority has filed a lawsuit claiming discrimination because she failed to get a promotion after 18 months of work (which is when her white male colleague was promoted). Her supervisor told Bill that she did not get the promotion because she goes out to smoke at least 4 times a day and cannot lift heavy things by herself. She operates a forklift in the computer peripherals department. A review of employee statistics shows that 2 employees are classified as minorities. Bill has noticed an undertone of racially insensitive joking among warehouse workers.
Problem 3: If the warehouse becomes unionized, hiring and promotion rules would most likely be based on a “next-in-line” and seniority basis. Bill believes that more minorities should be hired, especially in light of the lawsuit, but few have applied for the job. Furthermore, union rules might hinder this type of hiring in the future.
Problem 4: Bill has noticed a lot of sexual innuendo going around. In fact, Bill has a personal problem with a husband/wife computer programming team hired together in a package deal. The programmer’s wife (who manages the computers in the ordering office) seems to have a thing for Bill. A tall, attractive women, she often dresses in revealing clothes and touches people when she talks. She has a tendency to pick out her “pets” for correspondence on company affairs and she flirts with Bill in plain view of everyone. So far, Bill has joked the flirtations away, but he’s not sure how much longer the pressure will keep up. Bill definitely feels his professionalism is undermined, but good programmers are very hard to find and both the wife and husband are quite talented at their work.
Problem 5: The Americans with Disabilities Act has some pretty undefined terms. Bill is not certain if he can fire an employee who often smells of alcohol and has a history of alcoholism and unsuccessful treatment.
The committee’s goal is to develop an approach for handling these problems before more lawsuits are filed. Questions are below:
1. What are the philosophical
arguments for and against Affirmative Action? Consider protected
categories as both groups and as individuals. Also, consider historical
vs. current treatment of protected groups. Has Affirmative Action been
successful? How does the recent passage of the “anti-affirmative-action”
initiative in the State of
2. What does Affirmative Action actually require? Does it undermine the efficiency of small businesses? Does it apply to all sizes of businesses? Does Affirmative Action require “quotas?” How do most businesses respond to the requirements of Affirmative Action. Is it against the law to discriminate against smokers?
3. What obligations does a business have for recruiting, training, and promoting minorities? What are arguments surrounding “culturally-biased” tests?
4. How does unionization affect work in a previously non-union organization? How does an organization come to be unionized? Why doesn’t management just keep union organizers away from its workers, then they wouldn’t find out joining unions?
5. Find some examples of how management responds to unionizing tactics.
6. Are there conflicts between traditional union demands and the demands of Affirmative Action? Find examples of companies that have experienced them.
7. What does the sexual harassment law say? How should a company respond to harassment complaints? Whatever happened to romance?
8. What does the Americans with Disabilities require? How does it affect the wholesale business? Are drug and alcohol users protected?
The following questions are meant to guide your reading and our discussion in class. You do not need to turn them in, but jot down brief answers or pages where you can find the information. If you are called on in class to answer the question, be prepared. If you are consistently unable to answer the questions, I may have to make the assumption that you are not reading the book and that will affect your grade.
Questions to guide your reading in Lester, (1995) Power with People:
Due Week 2: Chapters 1-3
Chapter 1:
1. What are some examples that illustrate the effect of poor people-handling skills (from the book or your own, if you wish)? What is the author trying to illustrate as he describes the marriage counseling session and what the husband and wife say?
2. What are the 6 reasons why people-handling is difficult? Explain or give examples of each. Why can logic or rational reasoning be limiting when handling people? Why are labels on people limiting – discuss consistency and approaches to correcting problems.
3. In discussing skills, what does the author mean by awareness, fundamental information, and knowing what to do (what does the author say about applying a simple technique in every situation)?
Chapter 2:
1. What is biology’s purpose and its priorities? What is the biological purpose of the “pleasure principle?”
2. How is human biology unique compared to the biology of other living things? What are “concepts” and how do they differ from sensory objects? Which is more important and why? (Consider, “Give me liberty or give me death.”)
3. Your author presents the theory that humans must fight for survival in both the conceptual and sensory worlds. What anecdotes provide evidence about the need to survive in the conceptual world?
4. What is one’s “self-concept”?
5. What is the “lifeblood” of concepts? What is the equivalent of death in the conceptual world? How does this explain why people died in concentration camps? How important is the need to be “right”?
6. What term can be used to describe what happens when what is required for survival in the conceptual world contradicts what is required for survival in the sensory world? Why can someone be “self-destructive” if survival in both worlds is necessary?
7. How is “upset” manifested? Describe “defensiveness” as a behavior.
8. Describe the following defense mechanisms: denial, rationalization, projection. How do the affect truth?
9. What is the key to having the power to handle people? (Not personality, but understanding . . . )
Chapter 3:
1. What is the main cause of troublesome behavior? What two things can be dealt with to correct it?
2. What causes inappropriate behaviors? What is “transference?” Give examples
3. From what origin does self-righteousness spring? Give examples
4. How can defensive behaviors result in unproductive behaviors?
5. Why does logic fail during defensiveness and create unreasonable behavior? “Limited behaviors” means what happens over time?
6. When do “jerks” become difficult for your? Give examples (the book’s or yours).
Due Week 3: Chapters 4-7
Chapter 4:
1. List and explain the 11 principles of people handling.
2. How can being conscious and intentional about handling people affect you?
3. How can your desired purpose in handling people be a problem ?- Consider the issue of mixed motive.
4. How can “expressing one’s feelings” be a problem?
5. Describe how “doing something different” produced better results for the cliend described on pages. 83-85.
Chapter 5:
1. Briefly describe how diversity in thinking helps you as a people-handler.
2. List alternative explanations for a couple’s behavior based on diversity in thinking and behavior.
Chapter 6:
1. What are some problems people have when talking? What other parts of communication (besides talking) matter? Describe positive communication and negative communication behaviors – what does each convey?
2. What does reciprocity mean in communication? What does relative power tell us about communication?
Chapter 7:
1. List and explain the techniques of alliance. Give personal examples if you are comfortable.
Due week 4: Chapters 8-10
Chapter 8
1. What does confrontation mean?
2. List and explain techniques of confrontation. Give personal examples if comfortable.
Chapter 9
1. List and describe how to use techniques of meaning. Explain why each works and/or give examples.
Chapter 10
1. List and explain techniques of behavior. Give examples.
Due Week 5: Chapters 11-12
Chapter 11
1. What are the two things that keep us from preventing problems with people?
2. There are two agreement problems – describe them and discuss what types of language should be used with each.
3. Avoidance issues also may cause us to fail at prevention of problems with people – give an example of a “small thing” we may be attempted to avoid (the book’s or your own). Why should small things be dealt with?
4. What are some techniques of discussion for preventing avoidance?
5. What do you do if the other person avoids talking about small issues?
Chapter 12
1. What are the steps necessary to get someone to do something? What language should be used and what are some mistakes to be avoided in each step?
2. What are some reasons someone won’t perform an action?
Due Week 6: Chapters 13-15; 17
Chapter 13
1. What are the two elements that define the nature of conflict?
2. What are the resolution technologies? What are the consequences of using each? What are the circumstances that create the best use for each technology? How does each of the terms map onto the terms used in the conflict resolution article?
Chapter 14
1. What is motivation? What conceptual things enhance motivation?
2. How does the motivational technique of “creating a conceptual enemy” work? What are pitfalls to be avoided? Give examples.
3. How does the motivational technique of “becoming special” work? What are its pitfalls? Give examples.
4. What language and other techniques re used to motivate?
Chapter 15
1. Describe upset.
2. What are some mistakes we might make as we try to help someone deal with their upset?
3. What is the main purpose behind using techniques for diminishing upset? (Think energy)/
4. Besides using techniques to calm the situation, describe how reframing, separating intent and methodology, paradox, and fight technology might soothe the upset.
Chapter 17
1. Can people “be changed?” Consider our own opinion and the book’s perspective (just because it’s written somewhere doesn’t mean it’s true).
2. What are the main underlying goals when trying to change someone?
3. According to the author, what are the 3 main ways people change?
4. What are some practical guidelines to use if attempting to change someone?
Last, the example of Jennifer is a final illustration of applying the techniques described throughout the book. I found trying to remember how to use the techniques in this section a bit overwhelming, and I don’t believe the author is suggesting to use all of them in rapid-fire succession, but it does summarize a number of possible ways of dealing with a problem. Don’t be alarmed if you find the case study a bit scattered and/or overwhelming.
For those choosing to do option 3, read on through Chapter 18 to get an understanding of the intractable nature of personality disorders, but don’t use that information as the sole source of your understanding of them.