The “BP-CENTRO” – FINLAND CASE |
byC. Randall Powell, Indiana University
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SUMMARY
The BP-CENTRO (BPC) Company has experienced great growth in the USA, the UK, and other global areas with a new concept in real estate that facilitates delivering services and products. This unique retail concept calls for partnering with established international franchisers and local entrepreneurs to deliver quality products to customers. The basic idea is to provide the following products and services, via global franchisees and small local entrepreneurs, along main transportation arteries. Some of the businesses that rent space in these shopping complexes include service stations, grocery stores, family restaurants, insurance firms, real estate, barber shops, beauty shops, pizza restaurants, cinemas, special stores, computer shops, etc. It is typically anchored with a large discount store and a large BP gasoline station.
BP-CENTRO does not own any of these businesses. Instead, it owns (or builds) facilities (buildings) for these businesses, leases them to the owner and collects rent on long-term contracts.
Management is provided by BP-CENTRO on site, twenty‑four hours a day, everyday of the year. Facility management is always on site, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. BPC handles all emergencies, security, maintenance, snow removal, repairs, cleaning, etc. even during slow customer times like nighttime. BPC also provides major marketing programs to attract retail customers to these large complexes. The facility manager is equivalent to a “town manager” in a small city. Salary would be comparable to that of the senior local government official.
The BP-CENTRO complexes are 100% owned by a British Petroleum subsidiary called BP REALTY. Investment in BP REALTY comes from oil profits. BP REALTY invests in many real estate properties including the BP-CENTRO complexes around the globe.
These BP-CENTRO properties are freestanding retail units clustered like a spread-out “downtown” (centre). But, it is a shopping complex located away from the traditional center part of a town or city, usually at the intersection of two main highways coming from the town.
As city population grows away from the town center, these attractive, well appointed, brightly lighted shopping complexes become city sub-centers and eventually houses and apartments spring up around them.
They are like a very attractive “Commercial Retail Park” with winding roads, sidewalks, and greenery that appeals to shoppers. Customers can drive right up to the front and side of each business that they want to visit.
This exact concept has seldom been tried before in developing nations although many components have been highly successful elsewhere. The rent is similar to a government tax on businesses which eventually are added to product/service prices. With crumbling city centers in Eastern Europe and Russia and Baltics, this might be a way to energize local economies with new facilities and services.
After great success in the USA, an international marketing class at the Helsinki School of Economics was hired to conduct a consulting analysis. The class presented an exhaustive report to senior BP-CENTRO executives, which recommended the following:
1. This concept should be prototyped in an EC country. For a variety of reasons, Finland was chosen for the test market. The main reason for selecting Finland was its proximity to the Baltics and Russia, which are large future markets.
2. There should be 4 convenience centers in Finland within four years scattered throughout Finland, near the major cities with populations of over 30,000 in the retail trading area. None will be in the already over retailed Helsinki area.
3. They should be close to cities on main thoroughfares; not within city limits proper. All necessary government licensing, etc. have been obtained at the national level.
4. Whenever possible, local entrepreneurs should be used, but large American and European firms may also be sought as leasees.
5. The businesses sell many items to both local and motoring publics.
6. The investment will be large in land area, buildings, and equipment, but low on human resources. The facility managers and assistants will be “BP-CENTRO Management Trainees and Management-Level Employees.” No other non-professionals will be on the payroll except for interns, if used, because all services will be contracted by the professionals to local firms.
7. The BP-CENTRO-Finland Company is responsible for land, such as snow removal, security, maintenance, trash removal, acquisition, construction, etc.; product quality; service evaluations; maintenance contracts; and other management duties. BP-CENTRO-Finland employees do not actually “operate” any of the stores.
8. Preliminary Finnish contracts have been signed with CITY MARKET, PRISMA, McDonalds, Carroll’s, several BP service station owners, and a new wave of cyber restaurants that look like first class libraries. Disney cinemas, Gold Gyms, Pizza Hut, China Buffet, 7-Eleven, AutoZone Service, and contracts are pending with Stockman’s International and Wal-Mart. A Scandia mini-hotel is also planned. The global firms will want to open businesses in many different countries when expansion begins outside of Finland in 4 years.
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR BP-CENTRO-FINLAND
BP-CENTRO has decided to enter the Finnish market with much broader long-term ambitions. The market in Finland is rather small. Yet, the Finnish market is attractive. The initial result of a new market entry will be small but via price, quality, service and co‑brand marketing, the share will grow over time.
The real reason for selecting Finland is to use it as a corporate headquarters when, in 3-4 years, a launch is made into the Baltics and Russia.
This will be a large entertainment and service orientation that will be supported by cooperative advertising and sponsorship of local sport and cultural events. Marketing is a main strength. The long-term plan is for mega shopping complexes like “PRISMA” and other hypermarkets in Europe. The goal is to be a major REAL ESTATE SHOPPING/COMMERCIAL operator in the Baltics, Russia, and other areas in Central Europe. The headquarters will be in Finland.
Long-Term Plan
The entry to Finland makes little sense unless it is tied to a larger strategic plan. BP-CENTRO-Finland will enter Finland in order to establish a long-term presence in Northern Europe (an observation post in the beginning). The Baltics, Russia and the Central European developing markets are really picking up speed and the demand for oil products and general merchandise is increasing continuously in this big emerging market in the world. Other commercial real estate firms are already expanding into the area. They plan is to have high quality outlets throughout the Baltic and Russian states that provide services to the rapidly expanding international transportation/distribution needs in addition to the local needs. The other goal is to build “BP-CENTRO” brand recognition in a short time and to gain substantial market share in the commercial real estate market in the next 10 years in the selected target markets.
The marketing strategy is to position BP-CENTRO (BPC) as one of the top shopping complex developers and operators in the area which offers quality service 24 hours a day (hotel, service station, restaurant, grocery), taking environmental and ethical aspects into consideration. The target market is the whole motoring public and local communities. The differential advantage is to make a stop here a “fun and entertaining experience.” Event marketing is a key concept. This is an environmental friendly concept that supports the “Arts.” The center of the small retail city is an attractive park for children and local cultural events.
BPC does not own any of the businesses. It owns and builds the facilities and leases them. Image is what BPC wants from this venture; plus real estate profits and room for expansion into other real estate opportunities. BPC manages internal roads, common properties, security, utilities, fibre networks, and other high-tech city management duties. But, it has no education, hospitals, welfare, etc. to manage.
The main source of income is from real estate leasing. The plan is to buy huge amounts of real estate at key growth intersections and build buildings based on the leasee’s specifications under long-term lease agreements.
Finland Model and Base of Operation
The concept calls for the same type of operations in Finland as used in the USA and other parts of Europe. BPC plans to provide the same basic services in all of its outlets. Many different businesses will co‑brand and market its respective high quality products within the shopping complex. The entire shopping complex will cost several million to construct.
Some of the basic values and images will include the following:
1. Image. All facilities will operate with the same look, color, and standards. For example, the buildings and grounds will be very clean at all times. The overall goal is to provide the same perception of high quality, brand goods, neatness, cleanliness, and safety at all sites.
2. Service. Good friendly service in every situation. BP-CENTRO’s role is to “guarantee” top service to the extent that it can be written into Franchise/Business Agreements.
3. Product. Top quality products and branded merchandise. This comes from carefully selected “business partners.”
4. Reliable Staff. A dedicated service “committee” composed of representatives from all on-site businesses. The BPC staff provides the coordination. At least one BPC staff member is located in the complex 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Immediate Process
To accomplish this mission, the consultant recommended and management accepted the following strategies. BPC will competitively select the actual businesses with long-term contracts.
Your STAFFING PLAN must assume that facilities must open in Year 4 in Russia and/or the Baltics.
The overall facility supervision on each site will be done by BPC Management with district managers supervising the local operators. BPC employees do not manage any aspects of the various businesses. BPC does have a small free-standing building on site for maintenance, promotion, supervision, etc. There is ample space for large outdoor events like concerts, fairs, exhibits, etc. in the park. There is room in the complex to add many more retailers in the next decade.
The retail firms and BPC are counting on the combination of products/services and 24-hour top quality service drawing many customers. BPC will run the large, well-lighted complex and “monitor” marketing for all retailers. The facility investment is 100 percent BPC.
All business partners are strategically interested in using this concept as an entry into the Baltics, Russia, and East Central Europe. The Scandinavian work ethic and management talent will migrate south and east as business needs warrant with the Finnish entity gaining great footholds. The Finnish government is very supportive of the visionary business. All employees must be multi-lingual and expected to move to a new location every 2 years.
A major part of the future success will depend upon the ability to have a strong multi‑cultural human resource team in place that is rapidly developing outstanding management talent for the future. Clearly the HR team and BPC managers must work closely with the local business owners in order to encourage them to create a proper HR commitment for future growth. This will be a team endeavor for all partners. The spirit must be positive, cooperative, and one that grows new business. Managers must be very well compensated to get them to move abroad as growth continues abroad.
"Training in Finland" and "moving abroad," as new career opportunities come along, is the basic “management culture.”
The HR Plan’s Role
The major competitive advantages will be quite significant if the senior management succeeds. The senior executives must put a high reliance on the ability of the human resource staff to plan and execute.
The BPC Executive Management team has heard about the tremendous International Program at the Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration. They have contracted with Professor C. Randall Powell to develop an HR team and program to accomplish the objectives implied above. Dr. Powell carefully selected his class members and has authorized BPC to hire all of them, contingent upon the HR Board of Overseers approving an HR Plan prepared by his class.
Your planning period will be at least 6 years with facilities opening at least one facility in each Baltic country and two in Russia, starting in year 4.
The mission is to present a plan that the HR Board will approve. Final approval will come after a major conference planned for the last week of class. The HR class teams will work together in preparing this comprehensive plan at the conference. The “HR Plan” will be presented to Management in one of the last classes.
IMPLEMENTING THE HR PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN
Our class must develop an integrated human resources plan. Only a minimum number of constraints have been placed on the Human Resources Management Planning Team. There is no strong requirement that current BP policies and procedures be assumed in the Human Resource Management Plan. Costs must be kept reasonable but adequate resources are available. Of course, the team will review existing practices before creating new practices. We won’t reinvent excellent working policies and procedures already in place at BP corporate HQ.
The focus for this class is on the HR management, policy, procedures, control, feedback, etc. It is not the responsibility of the HR BPC/Finland team to make business strategies. Those have already been made. The Human Resource Management Team can make any assumptions necessary in designing the HR plan.
You are part of the BPC Human Resources Management Planning Team. The home office in London has requested that a preliminary plan be presented to top Human Resource executives. This final conference is scheduled near the last class day. During the Conference, this HRM team must convince the BPC HRM Committee to accept their plan.
Team Structure
The class will be divided into the following 10 teams. Each team will have a significant role to play in formulating specific human resource policies, procedures, forms, etc. within their team’s area of responsibility.
1. HR Objectives and Policy Team (vision, ethics, locale, policies, culture, equal employment, discriminations, etc.)
2. Organizational Structure Team (Board of Directors and BPC organizational chart, geographic plans, reporting, HR organizational reporting relationships, vendor relationships, purchasing staff, reporting relationships, etc.)
3. Planning Needs Team (requirements, planning, job levels, job analysis, year by year planning, key jobs, types of jobs, etc.)
4. Job Description Team for Executive Staffing (headquarters management staff, key assignments, job enlargement, job rotation, knowledge, skills, and qualifications.)
5. Job Description Team for Field Operations Management Staffing (operational tasks, supervision, local and district level with emphasis on job rotation, training, and career development. What are the KSAs for each key job?)
6. Recruitment Methods Team (brochures, websites, profiles, internal job posting, sourcing, search firms, advertising, applicant pool creation, etc.)
7. Selection Techniques Team (evaluation, interviewing, testing, assessment centers, interview approaches, evaluation, testing, selection standards, etc.)
8. Training Team (orientation program, management development programs, training needs assessment, training delivery methods programs, teaching methods, etc.)
9. Performance Appraisal Team (MBO, forms, rating scales, timing, incentives to excel, process, management roles, etc.)
10. Compensation and Benefits Team (government’s role, pay policy, wages surveys, competitor analysis, incentive compensation, indirect compensation, time‑off, appraisal coordination, etc.)
Each team will have three to five members appointed by the instructor. Each team will elect a group leader (director), a recorder (manager), and liaison person to other teams. Every member will have a portion of written project to develop as part of the team’s report to top management. The presentation must include PowerPoint slides for displaying the report to management. Each team will be limited to a minimal ten-minute to a maximum fifteen-minute presentation about their recommendations at the Final Presentation. The Preliminary Presentation must be in the 15- to 30-minute range but must be condensed at the Final Presentation.
Every person must prepare a minimum of three slides (maximum of ten) and take the initiative to explain their role in the design during the preliminary class review presentation. Each team will immediately read the relevant textbook chapters. Forms, materials, info, etc. is available in the text, WWW, or course HRMWEB. Presentations will be placed on the WWW for BPC managers to review as soon as possible.
Info for PowerPoint slides will be drawn from the textbook, lectures, and HRMWEB. MAKE SURE THAT ALL MAJOR TOPICS COVERED IN THE TEXT ARE DISCUSSED IN THE PRELIMINARY PRESENTATION POWERPOINTS!
It is up to each team to press the instructor for more information and clarifying instructions as the HR plan develops and progresses with the need for more details and specifications. The instructor will feed more data only upon request by the teams needing it. BP has provided extensive info on its corporate website (www.bp.com) and on the HSE HRM website (under Articles). Use existing materials!
Past HRM class reports are on the HRM website. Avoid copying past ideas; expand on them! The case has changed over the years but past presentations can be helpful. DO NOT COPY.
You have a head start if you review the PowerPoint slides prepared by past classes. Do not rely solely on last year’s slides; review older years also. The advantage, time wise, to your class is that you will not “waste” time in the early research phases and organizational meetings. In a typical “real work taskforce,” you also have to access past efforts. Different classes have taken very different approaches.
You will not have access to the past PowerPoint “notes and outlines.” You must create your own “notes” to put in the HRM PowerPoints. This must be in more detail than the rough outline that is on the slides.
Hopefully this “past work” will help you streamline and get better prepared. This case becomes less time intensive if you review past reports. Reviewing former group-organizing processes are an important part of the learning experience. Individual assignments to a team will be announced the first class day and will be available on the HRMWEB.
TEAM PRESENTATIONS
There will be a Preliminary Presentation of 15-30 minutes followed by a Final Exercise (Conference) near the last class day. Nearly every class session will have a BPC HR team presentation. Comments for improvement will be based upon materials covered in lectures, texts, HRMWEB and supplementary materials. The entire class is required to help preliminary presentations improve before the final TEAM PRESENTATION at the CONFERENCE.
The BPC “senior executives” will consist of a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Human Resource Officer. This body must approve all plans before the “final exercise” and be prepared to defend and lead the final presentation to the senior Human Resource Management Board. As later described, this “coordinating team” will be jointly selected by the class and instructor. The Preliminary Committee will be the “Chairs” of each team, but team members can redesignate the leader if desired.
Work on this case will be an ongoing part of the class. It provides a real world overview of how a Human Resource team must work together in presenting plans, policies, tools, instruments, and other management practices to management.
The actual teams will start work early in the first week of the class. The functional areas within Human Resource Management must have been read in the textbook and discussed in class.
Each team must meet regularly to prepare for their preliminary and final presentations. Very little time will be allotted in class for this purpose, so outside meetings and written work will be very important. Each team member must read ahead to see how to best respond in their functional HR unit.
The method of communication with BPC executives (the professor) will be the WWW and email. Teams must use MS PowerPoint so documents can be saved as html files. The professor will review your team’s work and give you critiques and suggestions. Show charts, tables, forms, job descriptions, recruitment ads, test instruments, rating forms, education forms, applications, salaries, etc. in your team class presentation slides. You can request more information before the class presentations. The text, lectures, videos, HRMWEB, etc. are what you have to work with. Each team report PowerPoint presentation will be presented in class. It will be saved and uploaded to the website.
Your “Preliminary Presentations” must complement and reinforce materials in the textbook, lectures, and HRMWEB. The professor will announce when the “FINAL PRESENTATION” (F-P) will be held. He (and others) will be the BP HR Senior Executives. The F-P will likely be the second to last class day.
Each team will actually be covering all of the relevant material covered in the textbook and other sources. The presentations each day actually “teach” the materials to the rest of the class. The material is actually covered via this “Activity-Based” learning model.
On F‑P Day, your group will present your team’s plans. The idea is to ask the student “Executive Committee” to read, select, and/or write PowerPoint slides from earlier presentations before F‑P Day. On F‑P Day, there will be suggestions and dialog for fine‑tuning, not major restructuring, if all has gone well.
Every student in the class will present 3 or more slides on their team’s presentation on each Preliminary and Final Presentation. The “Executive Committee” has a rep from each team. That group resolves all “conflicts” before the F-P. The presentation should be rehearsed in an “Executive Summary” before the Final Presentation.
All presentations must, at the final plan, be consistent with the overall goals. One team’s work influences the efforts of other team members.
Stage Set‑up for Final Presentation Conference
The stage set‑up for the F-P conference will have as the centerpiece a large TV screen that can display the Finnish team PowerPoint. The auditorium will be set up as follows:
F-P Conference Room Set-up |
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Team Member Chairs |
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Faculty (and hypothetical BP-CENTRO Executives) |
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Podium |
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Seated Class |
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Team 2 |
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Team 10 |
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Presenter
Of course, this might be modified depending on the room situation. Each team presenting will move to the front of the class and present their ideas with every team member presenting. Business casual dress is okay on preliminary days but business dress is necessary for the final presentation.
THE PRELIMINARY FINAL PRESENTATION
This final PowerPoint presentation needs to be as complete as possible given the tight time constraints. The Finnish team is expected to present their recommendations, fully supported with PowerPoints and other presentation aids. The BP-CENTRO HRM Review Board in London/Chicago will review the team reports in advance. The PROFESSOR also serves that role. Upload your new PowerPoint by 10:00 p.m. the evening before class!
The HRM Review Board is instructed by top management to be as critical as needed to insure that the plan can be ready to roll out within two weeks after the conference. Your team will not be defending a position; rather they will be learning, employing suggestions, and making recommendations. Present your plan in a confident manner but be prepared to modify and analyze if the Board (or Professor) questions you on your parts.
The professor will serve as a consultant and arbitrator during the development of the plan and during the presentation. The final project will have an individual performance and a team grade attached to it. It will be a consolidation and expansion of the PowerPoint slides from each of the teams. It will be uploaded to HRMWEB. Twenty percent of the 50 points will be team-based for both the Preliminary and Final Presentations.
The Student Human Resource Management Teams must anticipate needs and complaints from the Review Board. They should be prepared to defend their assumptions and recommendations when challenged by the BP Review Board and professor.
Any needed assumptions must be included in Student Executive Team PowerPoint report. No changes in marketing strategy should be recommended.
Any questions can be asked of the Human Resource Management professor leading the team, since he has worked in Human Resource Management and has had many executive consulting experiences with BP Executives.
TEAM OBJECTIVES AND CHARGES
Since each team must make some specific recommendations to top management, the professor has given specific instructions to each team within certain boundaries. Each team must review the key concept covered in the Human Resource Management textbook, the Web, and supplementary HRMWEB handouts. This may be supplemented with knowledge about the Finnish government, the economic situation, Finnish employment laws, Russian and Baltic circumstances, unique culture limitations and opportunities, and other points that can be supported by Web-based research.
Listed for each team is an initial set of key points that could possibly be addressed. No team is limited to these points nor must all of the points be addressed. The team must first define its role in light of the role of the other HR teams: who is doing what? A liaison to other relevant teams is absolutely necessary if the final report is to look coherent at the final presentation.
Each team member must review these potential objectives and decide what topics to include in the final deliverable presentation. There will be a 30-minute preliminary report presentation in class and a 2.5-hour FINAL TEAM PRESENTATION near the end of class.
Individual class members will be evaluated on the number and quality of HR questions asked.
Integration
As in real life, this is an integrated exercise. No team can operate in isolation. The decisions made by one team will impact upon decisions to be decided by other teams.
To eliminate duplicate and wasted work, there must be some means to constantly communicate to other people as you progress. You cannot “wait until your presentation” to get information you need. Every team must meet at least once by the end of Week 1.
Every team is working daily. They make decisions daily and need input daily from others to make their plans. That is reality in the workplace. You cannot “blame” another department for not getting you information in a timely manner. You must source it in an assertive but friendly way.
Every team is required to have a “scribe.” Results of deliberations need to be shared immediately after a team meeting. You cannot “postpone” this activity or you create inactivity for others. By the midpoint of the class, every team must have a draft of their PowerPoint (PPTs) on the web for all to see. Conflicts must be resolved. The PowerPoint is a “rolling” presentation that is modified as new info is obtained. Notes must be legible. All PPTs must be emailed to the professor the night before (by 10:00 p.m.).
Every team must also have an information specialist. They must be reading the Web and/or e‑mail for decisions and current deliberation status. The information exchanged “flows and builds” as a process. It does not mysteriously appear at a given point in time in the real world. Teams can share by inviting team members from other “departments/teams” to observe their meetings.
When an individual “prepares a report” for the team, everyone must see that information. The “reporter” must be prepared to defend and adjust their “report” after others on the team (or from other teams) make suggestions. Decisions are rarely made in a vacuum by “ultimate decision makers” (managers). Decisions and reports evolve; not come from edicts.
Someone, (maybe 2‑3 people) on your team must be sourcing information from the other teams from visits, side conversations, the Web, e‑mail, memo, etc. The information must come back to the decision‑making team daily in verbal and written form. Some classes do this immediately after class lectures.
How you achieve this communication is up to each group and its “elected leadership.”
Leadership Ballot
After the case is assigned and the teams are organized and have started their discussions, typically leaders emerge. They will not necessarily be the most “popular” people. They could be “doers” and “drivers,” and/or “consensus builders.” The types of leaders who emerge vary from case to case. You will see unexpected team dynamics. Who can be most useful/helpful?
A “leadership ballot” will be requested sometime after the case is underway. Everyone will vote on team/taskforce leaders. You will be asked to “vote” on three leaders in non‑rank order.
The professor will control 51 percent of the vote but the total class vote will influence his 51 percent share.
The “executive board” or “coordinating committee” will have to take a major leadership role in “cutting to the chase,” focusing each group, present the results, and allocate presentation time to each team leader and class member. The goal is to involve everyone in the final presentation. The top three people will become the “Project Team Leaders.”
You must vote on your leadership. The ballot is on the HRM website. We will do this in class.
Team Key Points to Remember
The consulting professor has identified some “key points to address” for each team or team member. The issues and “assignments” are not intended to be taken literally. They are designed to invoke ideas that the team must consider. Info from the lectures, HRMWEB, and text must show up in both the preliminary and final presentations.
As in a real world situation, there is always more to be done in the time allocated to complete it. The role of a good executive/manager is to size up the situation, review all relevant options, and prioritize what can reasonably be accomplished in the time frame allocated. What are the most important issues to attack first? Prioritize the issues and your time constraints given the number of team members and tasks to be completed.
A typical “task force” in the work setting is chosen to come up with practical working solutions that can be implemented very soon. They develop long term tasks (not necessarily strategy) for the follow up “implementation employees” (e.g. the HR permanent staff). At the same time, they must perform the major duties and responsibilities in their “normal job.” Responsibilities do not disappear.
The “task force” (or team) is a very time consuming responsibility. In your case, the normal role of being a student and studying for projects and tests continues. How will you juggle the new “task force” responsibilities that your boss has assigned to you?
Unlike a given course where you have a dedicated number of sessions to complete, in the real world, you must prioritize personal, social, and multiple job responsibilities. Your income and career growth (as well as professional growth) depend upon your “juggling” capabilities.
Thus, you are NOT expected to answer ALL of the issues/assignments raised in the “key points to consider” for your team. But you must understand the implication of not fully covering certain points. What do your superiors (professor) really want at this time?
Like most bosses, they will not tell you directly. They view you as a “professional manager.” You know what needs to be accomplished. They will provide information as requested, but they will not “hold your hand” in this consulting task force.
You are the CONSULTANT.
The supervisor (professor here) will give the CONSULTANT whatever is helpful for them to bring their expertise to this situation. BP-CENTRO corporate executives have “farmed out” and “outsourced” the details on both strategy and implementation to your respective HR teams. They want your recommendations and then will hire you to later implement them.
Allocate your time wisely. Your decisions cannot be made in isolation. Every person must read the “Points to Address” for every other team. You will see “overlapping” areas of responsibility‑-shades of gray-‑and these issues must be resolved.
As in the real world, teams (like individuals) do not act in a vacuum. Each team’s decisions impact on other team decisions.
This is a moving case. Decisions evolve. It is a process of constant feedback between teams and team members. Decisions and issues are not addressed in isolation. Consult-‑consult‑-consult. One or two individuals (or teams) cannot be allowed to ramrod their views down the throats of all other people. This is a major challenge in every organization (and classroom exercise).
Read every team’s role, not just your team. Then go back and study your task consistently with what is covered in the textbook, Web, articles, and by the professor. Only then should you start formulating and sharing your efforts with everyone involved. Learn to prioritize. Otherwise, you could get overwhelmed by the information and sources open to you. Turn toward leadership roles for help.
Even the 10th team to present should have their initial thoughts and rough draft of their PowerPoints upon the website in a very preliminary way before their team presents. Upload PowerPoint slides as you create them! Don’t wait until the deadline!
Each team member must pick a topic covered in the Chapters text or this case and prepare 3 or more PowerPoint slides immediately with their team’s blessing. Upload these before the end of Week 1. Do not use slides prepared by previous team; be creative. Everyone will present at least 3 minutes in class!
Sources of Information
There are multiple sources of information. Remember that every piece of information can be modified to fit our special circumstances as long as it follows basic agreed upon assumptions and supported justification. When concrete data is not available, make a judgment about it like you must do in reality. You never have perfect information! You usually have too much data. Your task is usually to cull, refine, and prioritize. The sources listed below are some of your resources.
· Information from the BP corporate website (www.bp.com).
· Materials from other firms.
· The textbook, articles, and other web-based handouts, especially former PowerPoints.
· Information from the HRMWEB, especially Lectures, Articles, career management URLs.
· Websites pertaining to human resources, job listings, professional societies, resume databases, career development, company URLs, etc. You will be expected to browse the web daily for information you can extract and paste into your various reports, e‑mails to each other, and other communications to the instructor and others in the “Final Review Board” and class team leaders.
The Career Resource links in your website will provide a lot of your needed data.
This case, in differing formats, has been addressed by previous classes. Several of the final reports past presentations will serve as useful resources. The case changes each time based on various assumptions and new technology. What previous groups use to focus upon is not typically what your group will choose to focus upon. DO NOT DUPLICATE the work of others. Your charge is to learn by compiling information from a variety of new and different resources. Even the textbook has changed several times!
Do your own work. Your team’s priorities for the final “DELIVERABLES” will be different from past groups, but feel free to leverage off the best ideas of your predecessors. Build and extend the recommendations.
When you present in class you are, in essence, using textbook material and HRM lectures to “teach” HRM content to others in the class. The best way to learn any content is to teach others!
TEAM 1: GOALS
“BP-CENTRO-Finland Objectives and Policies”
(See Previous Team Reports)
Key Points to Address
(See HRM Articles: HRM)
(See HRM Lectures: HRM and EEO)
Primary Concerns: “Goals/Policy from a General Strategic Viewpoint”
· Commitment to basic values. What are they?
· Promotion policies. Internal versus external. Long‑term versus start‑up.
· Policies on organizational goals. Conflict between long‑term business goals versus individual goals.
· Organizational behavioral strategies. Manage change versus constant change creation?
· Team goals versus individual goals. Where do we draw the line?
· Commitments to change, adapt, and create stability. What is our culture on this issue?
· Policies on efficiencies and organizational effectiveness.
· Goals on organizational change. Role of stability versus constant change management.
· Policies on government regulations. Role in politics. Fight for legal changes or defer?
· Employee communications. How will you communicate to employees?
· Stakeholder goal conflict resolution: government, investors, employee, community. Write mission statement.
· Goals to foster a common corporate culture. What do we want it to be?
· Policies on lessening American, Finnish, and international cultural biases.
· Creating a Code of Ethics acceptable internationally. Review various corporate codes of ethics.
· Commitments for forward written policies and informal guidelines. Written down or just implied?
· Justifying an HR information system. How far do we want to take this?
· Addressing environmental concerns. What is our corporate commitment statement to Finnish values?
· Creating line and staff relationship clarities. Critical organizational charts. Reporting relationships.
· Focus of management style. American style or Finnish style. Why?
· Development of a Code of Ethics. Are there good ones available to modify?
Secondary Concerns: “Equal Opportunity/Community Culture from a Global Strategic Viewpoint”
· Addressing concerns of the unique external environment. What is uniquely Finnish? Russian? Baltic?
· Creating internal and external responsibilities. Role with governments.
· Commitments to regulating bodies. At what government level do we work? National, regional, local?
· Adjusting to economic uncertainties. Role of corporate versus Finnish management?
· Finnish job trends impacts on human resources. Statement of economic status and employment outlook.
· Merging American, British, Finnish, Russian, Baltic, etc. corporate cultures. How to educate as they grow together. Hiring implications?
· Internal and external management styles. How do you characterize “Finnish versus Other” styles?
· Creating a unique and supportive culture. Is this top down or bottom up or participative style?
· Maintain commitments to individuals and cover organizational role conflicts. Characterize Finnish approach to conflict resolution.
· Establishing fair and equitable employee policies and guidelines.
· Age and sex discrimination policies and goals. Is this important in our market area?
· Resolve role conflicts with other teams. Who is in charge of making decisions so groups can continue?
· Cover some of the organization structures. Who reports to whom? Why?
· Team leaders vs. committee process. How do groups organize?
· Input into strategic planning. At what level in organization does this start?
· Finnish vs. American/British policies. Resolution of conflicts. Who?
· What are other teams doing that conflict with this one?
· How is information about the case disseminated?
· Language requirements?
· Geographic mobility culture of BPC. Move with or leave BPC!
TEAM 2: ORGANIZATION
“Creating the H.R. Organizational Structures”
(See Previous Team Reports)
Key Points to Address
(See HRM Articles: HRM)
(See HRM Lectures: HRM and Environment)
· Key functions to be performed at various levels.
· The management hierarchy needs to be drawn and displayed in your PowerPoint presentation.
· Who reports to whom? Line vs. staff vs. team roles.
· Specific tasks to be performed by various levels of management.
· Internal reporting relationships and external relationships to corporate and other divisions.
· Creating the informal structures and grapevine. Internal committees. Task forces.
· Which functions must prevail? How is the HR function organized?
· Resolving conflicts in organizational structures. Which team must make changes?
· Who is part of the “Management Team?” At some early point during the case, the class will vote for an “executive team.”
· Role of committees vs. individual authority. Who decides on various issues? Who assigns responsibilities? What is the ultimate source of decision-making authority?
· What tasks are performed in specific HR departments?
· Where do HR staff responsibilities stop? Role in start up versus continuous operations.
· Deal with points that overlap and possible conflict with other teams. Resolve dispute.
· Must coordinate with all teams. You are the final authority in your area of expertise.
· Draw Organizational Charts to display. Define reporting relationships.
· State basic “assumptions” that must be used by other teams when hard facts cannot be sourced from the WWW, the instructor, your superiors, or materials provided.
· Work with executive committee in resolving incomplete or lacking points of information.
· There are always “gray” areas of responsibility and intentional overlap of duties/responsibility. Try to help eliminate conflicting sources of authority.
· The report and presentation must put all of this massive information into an organized plan/outline that other teams can use in their decision making.
· Every team has more tasks than it can possibly execute. Like in real life, priorities and decisions must be made. Your role is to provide the “framework” in which to prioritize decisions.
· Use the textbook to insure that all key points are covered.
· Review all past PowerPoints for ideas.
· Coordinate with Teams 1 and 3. You must be consistent.
TEAM 3: PLANNING
“Job Requirements Planning-Future Staffing Needs”
(See Previous Team Reports)
Key Points to Address
(See HRM Articles: Job Requirements)
(See HRM Lectures: Job Requirements and HR Planning & Recruitment)
· Create the top-level management jobs (marketing/operations/finance). Coordinate with Team 2.
· Human Resource positions‑‑brief descriptions. Skeleton to be fleshed by future teams.
· Define key middle management operations jobs (district managers, facility managers, assistant managers, etc.). Work with Teams 1 and 2.
· Define entry-level jobs based on input from other teams.
· Recommend job analysis classification scheme.
· Recommend approaches to job analysis. Decide on approach for Finland, Russia, Baltics.
· Discuss planning needs in year one. This is the foundation.
· Discuss planning needs in years two through four.
· Discuss planning and requirements after year five.
· Recommend the job requirements and descriptions needed to be written by Job Description Team. Limit to three key jobs. Focus on future needs.
· Create a promotion plan using structure and policies set up by earlier teams.
· Develop brief job titles and two-line descriptions for key positions (limit to ten). Coordinate with other teams.
· Some of the jobs to consider include the following:
w Facility Managers: How many needed over next ten years?
w District Managers: Sourcing issues for the future planning.
w Marketing Managers: How many needed as growth flows at 25 percent per year?
w Operations Managers: Role? Future needs.
w Purchasing Specialists: Who works with BP-CENTRO international franchisers and local entrepreneurs?
w Financial Experts: Purpose. Relationship to BP Corporate. Need for control.
w Human Resource Managers: How many? Functions?
w Sales Managers: Do we need them? Who hires them? Coordinate with other teams.
w Contract Employees: Is it possible to employ them in Finland?
w Outsourcing Functions: What are they? Why do they do this?
w Maintenance: In Finland and in future growth abroad.
w Top Executives: Internal versus external sourcing. Future needs due to rotation and turnover.
w Lanugage Requirements: English, Finnish, and Russian or Baltic language required.
· Do not do this for the Franchiser or Entrepreneur. They have their own system.
· Promotional or job rotation plans in creating future managers.
· Is promote from within a viable policy here?
· Review Planning Models from text. Useful here?
· Plan for expansion into Baltics and Russia. When?
TEAM 4: TOP MANAGEMENT JOBS
“Job Description Team for Senior Management”
(See Previous Team Reports)
Key Points to Address
(See HRM Articles: Job Requirements)
(See HRM Lecture: Job Requirements)
· Focus only upon positions of Senior Management. Prepare a two-slide job description for each. Cover Job Specifications on a separate slide.
· Review organizational structure presented by Organization Structure Team. Critique it but compromise and build upon their recommendations.
· Review Job Planning and Requirement Team report. Critique it but compromise and build upon their recommendations. Come to an accommodation before changing.
· Identify 3‑5 key assignments in the new organization and write job descriptions for this management group. Write the 10‑15 primary tasks needed to be done regularly and periodically by this team. Typical day?
· Broadly define each job description in order to minimize the need for large numbers of job descriptions and provide flexibility in relocating employees to various assignments.
· Consider the job design in writing the 3‑4 job descriptions.
· Discuss how to handle job enlargement issues, job rotation, and job enrichment design techniques in this new environment. Are these techniques appropriate at this level?
· Cover team participation and alternate work schedules, flex‑time, etc. for these 3‑5 jobs.
· Develop job specifications and qualifications for specific jobs.
· Using reports from other teams, discuss how to maintain fresh points of view in this fast growing organization.
· Role of development in top management, if any.
· Cover location and trend demands for each of the top jobs.
· Consider nationality and previous types of work experience needed. Baltics? Russian? Finnish? How will you encourage Finnish managers to go abroad?
· Coordinate with selection and recruitment teams on how to source this unique talent.
· Find similar jobs on the WWW if possible. Pull job requirements from each of them where relevant to this situation.
· Summarize each of the 3‑5 jobs on 3-5 PowerPoint slides so that the class can contribute ideas for you to use as you revise your presentation for your final report after your classroom presentation.
· Integrate with lecture and textbook.
· Consult with Teams 3 and 5 so your presentations are consistent.
· Discuss the fine line between senior management and middle management.
TEAM 5: MID‑MANAGEMENT JOBS
“Job Description Team Entry to Middle Management”
(See Previous Team Reports)
Key Points to Address
(See HRM Articles: Job Requirements)
(See HRM Lecture: Job Requirements)
· Define what the entry-level management jobs are. First line managers where they supervise other people, contracts, facilities, corporate assets, etc.
· Focus only upon positions of Middle Operations Management. What are they?
· Non-management jobs are outsourced.
· Review organizational structure presented by Organization Structure Team. Critique it but compromise and use their recommendations. Teams must agree.
· Review Job Planning and Requirement Team report. Critique it but compromise and use their recommendations or come to an accommodation change.
· Identify 3‑5 key assignments in the new organization and write complete job descriptions for this management group. Write 10‑15 specific tasks that each job must perform. Discuss frequency daily, weekly, monthly, annually, etc.
· Broadly define each job description in order to minimize the need for large numbers of job descriptions and provide flexibility in relocating employees to various assignments.
· Consider the job design in writing the 3‑4 job descriptions.
· Discuss how to handle job enlargement issues, job rotation, flex‑time, job enlargement, and job enrichment design techniques in this new environment. Are such techniques appropriate at this level?
· Cover team participation and alternate work schedules, flex‑time, etc.
· Develop job specifications and qualifications for specific jobs.
· Discuss the magnitude of their management responsibilities including people, assets, contracts, etc.
· Review directions given to previous team as your tasks are much the same except for the level of the job in the firm.
· Cover location, travel demands, job pressures, etc. on each job.
· Find similar job descriptions/ads on WWW (and from BP information) and incorporate words as appropriate. You need three parts: summary statement, duties and responsibilities, and job specs/quals.
· How will you create challenge, excitement, change, and motivation to advance in each of these jobs?
· Consider working with other teams in writing recruitment materials to attract the right candidates for this job. Provide input but don't do their work.
· For each of the 3‑5 jobs, create 3-5 PowerPoint slides that you can use for discussion purposes and be ready to revise your “document‑in‑process” as you receive further input from your colleagues.
· Make sure to utilize most concepts covered in the textbook.
· How do you motivate managers to more locations every 2-3 years?
· Consult with Team 4 often!
· Follow textbook chapters and former PowerPoints closely.
· Promote from within. Continuous learning.
TEAM 6: RECRUITMENT
“Recruitment Methods Team”
(See Previous Team Reports)
Key Points to Address
(See HRM Articles: Recruitment)
(See HRM Lecture: HR Planning & Recruitment)
· Write external job advertisements for 8‑10 key positions for which the new organization must recruit. Divide task among several team members. What job levels can be “grouped” for sourcing purposes?
· Identify key recruitment sources of talent within Finland, Europe, and inside the company. Discuss advantages of different recruiting resources.
· Specify recruitment sources including traditional and non‑traditional sources. What might be new avenues for the future?
· Prepare a rough draft of a Recruitment piece to give to an ad agency that explains the new organization, its growth potential, career possibilities, and the facts that might positively influence the choice of potential top caliber recruits.
· Provide profiles of various jobs that an agency can use to create attractive ads for newspaper, websites, and brochures.
· Consider career needs recommended by other teams such as compensation, training, career development, job requirements, job description, etc. How much of this do you want to put into recruiting materials?
· What are some techniques that you can use to lower the costs of recruitment expenses? You do not have unlimited financial resources but getting this started “right” is extremely important to the company.
· Review recruitment brochures of BP (from their website) and their competitors for talent (not just other energy firms). Suggest ideas to the agency (or inside staff) to use in creating clever recruitment materials.
· Make “assumptions” about the job marketplace when you cannot locate specific data externally or from company materials.
· What is the unique employment/job market like in Finland for each level of job sourcing? Do we have an ample supply of talent at the entry-level management jobs and a weak candidate pool for mid‑level managers in Finland? How about Russia and the Baltics as expansion occurs in three to five years? We have four years maximum in Finland to set up the HR infrastructure to expand aggressively abroad. Your role as HR professionals is NOT to question the viability of the business plan, but to plan for its execution.
· You must coordinate your decisions with input from other teams and regularly/daily read their update/decisions. Coordinate!
· Your slides must use info from the lectures and textbook.
· Consult often with leaders from previous teams.
TEAM 7: SELECTION
“Selection Techniques Team”
(See Previous Team Reports)
Key Points to Address
(See HRM Articles: Selection)
(See HRM Lectures: Selection and Packaging the Truth and Interview Techniques)
· Define the selection process to be recommended to top management. Chart the flow of the process.
· Develop several of the selection tools (applications, interview evaluation forms, specific interview question factors, psychological tests, etc.) that will be recommended. Be specific. You are welcome to modify existing forms and procedures on HRMWEB.
· Discuss reliability and validity after making specific recommendations. Why are you doing what you are recommending?
· Cover the various sources of information that will be used to evaluate candidates.
· Review various interview methods and make recommendations on which approaches would best fit this situation. This may vary by job levels.
· Develop a list of interview questions to use in your structured and/or patterned interview. Your goal is to solicit examples and stories from applicants that provide indirect information that you can use to make choices.
· Discuss who, when, how, etc. will be involved in the selection process and their training. This may vary by job level.
· Create an evaluation form to be used by all supervisors. Adjust and create the form so that it will help the person completing it to avoid the typical errors that occur in the interview phase of the selection process. Review the typical errors and biases that cause problems in validity and reliability.
· Consider/evaluate cost considerations in your final process.
· Coordinate your plans with all other teams. What you use and decide upon will greatly impact what they recommend. This especially pertains to training, appraisal, and compensation.
· Your selection techniques must be consistent with the job descriptions developed and with the promotional materials being prepared by others.
· What is the basic development/management trainee job? How is selection influenced by sourcing from various geographical locations?
· Make sure that your recommendations are consistent with what you read in the textbook, HRM websites, and lectures.
· Be consistent with the recommendations already accepted and modified by the class after presentations by earlier teams.
· Consult with Teams 4 to 6 often. Build upon their recommendations.
· You will be teaching the class about “Selection” as you present in class.
TEAM 8: TRAINING
“Training Team”
(See Previous Team Reports)
Key Points to Address
(See HRM Articles: Training)
(See HRM Lecture: Training & Development)
· Design some new employee orientation programs:
w Who teaches?
w Where conducted?
w When offered?
w Content covered?
w Objectives and purpose?
w Differences by management levels?
· Discuss training needs for entry, mid‑career, and advanced career, employee training.
· How might technology impact upon training? Which techniques will you use?
· Prepare a recommendation for an orientation packet. What is to be included?
· Cover the importance of socialization and corporate culture in a new joint British/American/Finnish climate. How do you instill a preferred international culture throughout all levels of management? Involve Russia and Baltics.
· Identify the various types of training needs assessment approaches and which methods you will use.
· What types of training methods will be employed and recommended to BP-CENTRO corporate managers? Discuss outsourcing approaches as well as internal training.
· Create a process that calls for a continuous and frequent approach to training and professional management development.
· Discuss the educational obsolescence issue. How do you intend to maintain a continuous leaving atmosphere in the firm as recommended by the text and professor?
· How would you anticipate and plan for the training to change once the business strategy moves into the Russian/Baltic expansion phase? How will your informal and training and external sources change during this new phase?
· Discuss on‑the‑job and off‑the‑job training at the various management levels. Which types of technology might best suit each level of management and type of training?
· Which Finnish training consulting firms and educational institutions might be appropriate for BP-CENTRO to employ? Discuss the strengths, weaknesses, and focus of training offered by some of these potential vendors. Pull this detail from the WWW when possible and make sure that it is consistent with the textbook and lectures.
· How will you use the web in training staff abroad?
· When do you start training foreign nationals in Finland and abroad?
· Teach the geographical mobility culture.
· Teach languages of Russia and the Baltic to facilitate promotions.
· Terminate policy is fail to participate in mobility and learning culture?
TEAM 9: APPRAISAL
“Performance Appraisal Team”
(See Previous Team Reports)
Key Points to Address
(See HRM Articles: Performance Appraisal)
(See HRM Lecture: Performance Appraisals)
· Consider the purpose of a Finnish performance appraisal system. What would be different?
· Identify the reasons for a formal system and why BP-CENTRO must use this approach.
· Create a system of regular performance appraisal that incorporates the following points:
w Who is involved?
w What is the frequency?
w Levels of employees involved.
w What approaches would you use to convince the Finns and Russians that this is a development process, not a punitive process?
w How do merit salary increases relate to this?
· Discuss the methods that you will use to do the appraisal and how you plan to avoid most of the typical rating errors. Describe your options and support your choice.
· How will you employ 360 degree evaluation plan?
· How will you tie the evaluation to training needs?
· Which type of rating scale will be used and why will it work best in Finland? In Baltics and Russia?
· Discuss implementation of a MBO plan for the firm. What are the pros and cons of employing this tool in Finland and Russia/Baltics?
· Prepare rough draft forms to use. See HRMWEB for examples.
· Discuss how the Finnish employment laws and regulations would support and require the use of regular and continuous performance feedback to employees at all but the very top levels of management.
· Review some articles on the WWW in publications like the Journal of Applied Psychology that support the effectiveness of an MBO approach. Show how this might (or might not) apply here.
· Discuss the varying roles/purposes of performance appraisals at differing levels of management levels and non‑management levels in the typical organization and relate this to the unique situation here.
· Use existing BP and AMOCO forms, forms from the WWW, your own creatively constructed forms, the textbook, etc. to design a facsimile of a modified form that you might use in this situation.
· Involve ideas directly from the textbook, lectures, HRMWEB articles, and other HRM websites.
· Make sure that your presentation is on target with the content delivered by previous teams. Consult with former teams and come to consistent agreement.
TEAM 10: COMPENSATION
“Compensation Policy Team”
(See Previous Team Reports)
Key Points to Address
(See HRM Articles: Compensation)
(See HRM Lecture: Compensation)
· Impact of Finnish government standards and regulations upon policy. Research the law on the Web if possible. Same for Russian and Baltics.
· Create a compensation policy for managerial employees.
· Define the relative worth of each job identified by other teams using a textbook technique.
· Set some compensation policies for each level of managerial employees.
· Consider some type of pay for performance incentives. Discuss options and explain why you decided upon the ones you selected.
· Analyze how “indirect” compensation in Finland might be different than the USA.
· Consider Finnish factors that might influence the real wage rate. Russia? Baltics?
· How will the unemployment rate in Finland/Russia/Baltics influence compensation? Consider supply.
· Set up a job-ranking scheme and assign a point system to it.
· Compare compensation to the performance appraisal. How will you integrate the two?
· Work with the performance appraisal team very closely. Don't make decisions in isolation. Meet 1‑2 times together.
· Assume that you have an organization of 200‑300 employees. You have no manufacturing, production, or exploration in Finland. You are totally a marketing/retail/distribution organization. Identify comparable size firms in Finland and get the rough salary guidelines of the top three executives, if possible, from corporate stockholder reports.
· Using the Web and other resources, identify the starting salaries of BBA, MSC, and comparable wage rates. You now have a “spread” from entry management to top management. Then assign relative pay grades to your various levels of management.
· Using the textbook and articles as a guide, construct a rough salary schedule similar to what you know that BP Corp. uses.
· Read the text and other Web articles on benefits. Contrast the benefits that American and British firms currently offer to those that most Finnish firms offer. Why are the benefits packages so different? Discuss how you would use “benefits” and “incentive” compensation to better motivate managerial level employees at BP and in Russia/Baltic plans later.
· Teach the class about “compensation” issues based upon what is given in the textbook.
· Consult salary websites for info and document in your PowerPoint presentation. Link to related websites from PowerPoints.
CURRENT COMPANY POLICIES AND PRACTICES
To aid in formulating plans, some information from BP.com and articles on HRMWEB has been received by the Finnish HR team. This includes some job descriptions that were used in a similar approach in other countries. However, the situation is much different in Finland so the corporation realizes that the exact job descriptions and needs will be much different in Finland, Baltic, and Russia. The BP Corporate HQ will probably insist on using their current policies. Your task is to modify previous forms, job descriptions, etc., not reinvent, to fit the unique situation in Finland, Baltics, and Russia.
Some of these materials might be helpful as the Finnish team tries to understand the culture of their partner. None of the existing policies, procedures, forms, etc. needs to be employed, but where there are significant changes, the need for the change should be addressed. Since time is of the essence, you have great latitude in creating your own documents.
The HRMWEB info can be cut and pasted as appropriate. Go to HRMWEB for supporting info from the past and www.bp.com for more general info. Both the Articles and HRM Lectures (PPTs) will provide the content that you need to use in your own presentations.
REMEMBER: This year’s case has been modified significantly from previous years so you cannot use previous classes reports (PPTs) but they can be a good starting point.
ACTION ITEMS
The teams will be set up early in the first week of class. All class members must thoroughly read this entire case. Upon assignment to a team, each person needs to review the relevant chapters and assignments. The teams will represent each major functional area within the HRM organization, which are closely aligned to textbook chapter headings.
Each team must discuss an outline of their plan for the new business as it relates to their area of responsibility. Using the outline, they will write a lengthy PowerPoint presentation. Most PRELIMINARY PRESENTATIONS AVERAGE 30 MINUTES with equal time by each team member. Later, a coordinating team will do the consolidation overview. Reports, forms, questions, evaluations, and outlines need to be written for each team. The PowerPoint writing responsibilities must be equally shared by individual team members. This final written material will be written in PowerPoint style so that it can be displayed during the final presentation. It will be a consolidation of highly modified TEAM REPORTS and last for a 2½ hour FINAL presentation.
Each team member must participate in the delivery of some part of the material and outline at both classroom presentations. However, a panel/team leader must also be chosen as the main team leaders who will be assisting in the Final Team Presentation. No team should take more than 15 minutes (but at least 10 minutes must be used) in the Final Team Presentation. The 30 minute preliminary presentation will be cut in half in a coordinated way and every student will deliver a part of the Final Team Presentation.
The teams should start their meetings immediately. During each class team presentation, each team leader will discuss the initial outline and presentation intentions. This is a preliminary intent that will be enhanced in the next several days.
Some limited time may be given in class on the last week for the coordinating team leaders to make a presentation that will be followed by several minutes of critique. The critique and recommendations for the future will come from the instructor and the class. The LEADERSHIP TEAM must resolve all inconsistencies between teams before the Final Team Presentation in class.
There may be a final rehearsal in class before the Final Team Presentation, depending on time availability.
Near the last class day, the team must turn in all outlines, forms, and PowerPoint slides. These will be graded as a team project. Every team member will receive the same grade on parts of the team performance. This grading event is equivalent to five grading events. There are five detailed components to the grade: content, delivery of presentation, preparation, organization, responsiveness to team and class suggestions. Each person is graded individually and by team results.
Final team report: Due at end of Final Presentation. This is a PPT only.
TEAM LEADERS
Early in the course, the instructor will select about three students who will serve as a coordinating group of leaders. Each will work with the teams to help in the coordinating. These people will be picked with the help of the class (will be a secret vote), the HSE administration's input, and the instructor’s perception. A form for doing this is on the HRMWEB.
Later, these team chairs and the three leaders will become part of the “Executive Committee” that leads the final presentation. Working with each team, a presenter will be chosen to represent the team on a given topic as they make their presentation. The goal is to have “everyone” participate in the FINAL conference. The group will structure the final presentation agenda but every team member must present again.
Essentially, these team leaders will function as the top management of BP-CENTRO. Their roles are to be something like the following:
CEO. Sets overall direction. Introduces the plan. Creates a broad strategy. Brings discussion back to main corporate goals. Final decision maker.
President. This is the Chief Operation Officer. Defines the operating dimensions. Who is doing what? Works on the timing. Controls.
Chief HR Officer. The chief HR officer will introduce each team leader and the role of the team. The team leaders operationally report directly to this person for CONTENT guidance. All officers can offer clarifications or ask questions. The idea of this team is to differentiate their roles equally and keep the presentation on task. The final “role” of each member of the “Executive Team” is up to their discretion.
This “Executive Team” meets with each team leader on a daily basis to determine where the PowerPoint slides stand. After the preliminary classroom presentation, they work to “boil the results down” to an acceptable time frame for the Final Team Presentation. The instructor will give the team leaders a lot of leeway in structuring the dialog. The CEO will settle any disagreements! Delegation must leave room for every student to present at both Preliminary and Final Presentations.
This leadership is critically important. Everyone must be kept on a tight time limit and progression must occur at a fast pace. Someone has to be a leader in communicating with the Review Board (professor). We can’t be cavalier about response times and not careful about the magnitude of materials that the Review Board receives.
There are many issues that the leadership must address. At the same time, your normal job as a student must continue. Classes must be attended. Readings continue. Quizzes need to be taken. Projects are due. These multiple “balls in the air” is very indicative as to what happens in the real world. It does not stop just so you can get out an important report for your manager. The normal job continues.
The team leaders must work to keep all demands in proper perspective. It has been a challenge, at times, for the “Leadership Team” to keep the ten teams communicating in a consistent fashion.
DAILY TEAM REPORTS
In most of the regular classes, there will be one or more preliminary team presentations. The ten teams will each appoint a leader of their team who will introduce the topic and the approach the team will use to help meet the needs of the organizations. The leaders do not have to be the same people originally selected by the Professor.
These presentations will be reviewed and critiqued by the class. The purpose of the preliminary presentation is to convince the Leadership Team and the professor to accept the proposals recommended. The professor will share the presentations via the web. Please keep your work current on the course website, even though your team may not have yet presented. Give the professor your updated PPT each day so he can update (via replacement on server).
Preliminary Classroom Presentations
Every team member must participate in the delivery of a segment of the presentation. No single person can be allowed to not participate. The presentation components should be similar to the following:
· No more than ten slides/overheads per person (about 20-30 per team).
· A handout that is distributed and discussed if needed.
· An outline presented in MS PowerPoint if needed.
· Memos of recommendations (if any).
· Statements of purpose on the second slide.
· The first slide should identify all team members and the topics. Pictures of team members would be a nice touch.
· A slide at the end that summarizes the recommendations.
Each team has 30 minutes to use in their preliminary class presentation. Between 5-10 minutes of this time should be allocated for the class members to critique. The time may be expanded, upon request, for teams needing extra time. The actual presentation should be 20-25 minutes. Shorter presentations will receive a much lower grade if topics from the textbook and lectures are omitted.
In business, each manager must write down his or her ideas in business memos and report formats. As decisions come closer to reality, consensus is garnered. Work via e-mail with each other. Be courteous and thoughtful.
Continuous Report Delivery
Each team will meet daily to discuss its mission and how to respond to the concerns. Each team member will select a specific component(s) to address. The leader will introduce the topic and the team member who will make the presentation.
The class will give suggestions for improvement immediately after each team's presentation, if appropriate. That team is expected to revise their PowerPoint ASAP per suggestions and resubmit to the website. The website is continuously updated.
All changes to team’s PowerPoints will require a regular upload. The whole PPT must be sent to the Professor so that it can replace the existing PPT on the server.
On the day of the Final Team Presentation, the Leadership Team will submit a “final” copy of each team’s PPT to the professor to be uploaded to HRMWEB.
Delivery Instructions
We require everyone to use MS PowerPoint so documents uploaded by the Professor to HRMWEB and everyone can read it at anytime before the Final Presentation Day.
Further instructions will be given in class.