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Management 621 The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania MBAExec (West) – Summer 2012 Day 2, Session A DESIGNING REWARD SYSTEMS Wed., May 23 Description: Here we focus on the design of reward systems, keeping in mind various cognitive processes that affect motivation. We introduce concepts from equity theory, which describes how individuals assess the ratio of outcomes (pay, recognition) in relation to inputs (of effort, skill, experience) for themselves in comparison with others. We then consider the actions (and shifts in perception) individuals may undertake to establish a sense of equity. The case discussion emphasizes how the compensation and reward system of an organization must balance incentive and equity concerns. We also explore the role of the labor market in constraining the kinds of compensation systems firms can implement. Please come prepared with examples of reward systems you have encountered and we will discuss them. Readings: Elliot Aronson, “The Rationalizing Animal,” Psychology Today, May 1973, p. 67-77. Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy A. Judge, “Equity Theory,” from Organizational Behavior, 12 th edition, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2007, pp. 203-207. Case: Brainard, Bennis, and Farrell 1. How should the lawyers listed at the back of the case (A-F) be paid 2. Please meet with your learning team and decide how to apportion 100 points between them. Come to class ready to present and defend your choice. Day 2, Session B DESIGNING JOBS Wed., May 23 Description: We next examine job design -- one important source of implicit rewards at work. We teach Hackman and Oldham’s job design theory, which analyzes the five dimensions of a job that contribute to its motivational potential. We then explore how poor job design can kill motivation even when explicit incentives are well-designed – and conversely, how helping someone see the connection between their work and the impact on an end-user can be powerfully motivating. Readings: “Frederick Winslow Taylor: Father of Scientific Management,” selection from Business: The Ultimate Resource, Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing, 2002, pp. 1054-55. J. Richard Hackman, Greg Oldham, Robert Janson, and Kenneth Purdy, “A New Strategy for Job Enrichment,” California Management Review, Vol. 17, pp. 57-71. Adam M. Grant, “How customers can rally your troops: End users can energize your workforce far better than your managers can,” Harvard Business Review, June 2011: 97-103. Case: Jennifer Henderson and the International Division at Trustworthy Trust 1. Why are analysts such as Henderson demoralized 2. Why do senior managers seem so satisfied 3. What recommendations would you offer the Executive Vice President Marshall Wilde 10
Management 621 The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania MBAExec (West) – Summer 2012 Day 3, Sessions A, B UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL IDENTITIES Thur., May 24 (with Prof. Peter Kuriloff, Graduate School of Education) *** “FEET WET” ASSIGNMENT DUE IN CLASS TODAY *** Readings: Gary Gemmill, “The Dynamics of Scapegoating in Small Groups,” Small Group Behavior, vol. 20, no. 4, 1989, pp. 406-418. Myron Lustig and Jolene Koester, “Cultural Identity, Cultural Biases, and Intercultural Contact,” chapter 6 in Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication Across Cultures, Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2000, pp. 139-173. Day 4, Session A RECRUITING AND SELECTING EMPLOYEES Fri., June 8 Description: In this class, we turn our attention to employee recruitment and selection. Researchers have identified a number of strategies likely to yield fair, valid, and effective hiring decisions. We review these strategies and discuss possible reasons why many companies do not put these strategies into place. We then explore the attraction-selection-attrition cycle and the implications for organizational culture and performance. The SG Cowen case provides an opportunity to analyze one company’s recruiting and selection practices; to “select” two of their applicants for hire; and to examine our assumptions about what makes an effective hire. Reading: Benjamin Schneider, “The People Make The Place,” Personnel Psychology, Vol. 40, 1987, pp. 437-53. Case: SG Cowen: New Recruits 1. Who would you hire and why 2. How will the change in recruiting strategy proposed by Chip Rae affect the nature of the company and its culture 3. How would you assess the choice between hiring better students at less selective schools vs. less successful students at more selective schools – what are you getting in each case Day 4, Session B APPRAISING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE Fri., June 8 Description: We continue on the topic of individual performance, introducing dilemmas that managers face with respect to directing, supporting, and evaluating the work of subordinates: balancing implicit rewards (challenging work assignments, recognition) with explicit rewards (pay); weighing incentives for individual achievement vs. incentives for the group or team; and handling performance appraisal in a way that communicates goals and expectations accurately and motivates improved performance. To guide subordinates towards high individual performance may require managers to be flexible and adaptive in their leadership style. The case focuses on a situation where cross-cultural issues also complicate a manager’s choices on these issues. Reading: John J. Gabarro and Linda A. Hill, “Managing Performance,” Harvard Business School, January, 2002 (9-496-022). 11
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