1. Currently the organization expects that their forecast for labor requirements is essentially constant from the previous year. Based on this assumption complete the five stages of the planning process:

a. Currently the organization expects that their forecast for labor requirements is essentially constant from the previous year. This means the forecast for next year will be taken as given.

b. Fill in the empty cells in the forecast of labor availabilities in Table 1.1.

c. Conduct an environmental scan. Based on the environmental data, what factors in the environment suggest Tanglewood might have difficulty filling their vacancies in the future?

d. Compute year end totals for each job in Table 1.1 and do a gap analysis to determine where shortages will occur in the next year.

e. Develop a preliminary statement of the action plan for hiring for Washington next year. This should be an overview of the number of individuals needed to meet projected staffing levels for various positions that can be given to store managers. Make sure that your recommendations take the strategic staffing levels issues from the introductory case into account.

2. Examine the percentages of employee representation across demographic categories for Tanglewood and the available labor market for Table 1.3. Are there any particular classes or jobs where the representation within Tanglewood appears to be out of line with the available workforce? What does the pattern suggest to you?

3. Based on your analysis and the affirmative action plan, do you think the company should engage in a specific strategy to change their recruiting and promotion practices? Do you think it is realistic for the company to try to meet their affirmative action goals in this process in a single year? What are the pros and cons of using internal promotions vs. external hiring to rectify the problems with gender and ethnicity representation in supervisory positions?

4. In addition to the specific targets for employee representation for the Spokane flagship location, Tanglewood wants to use this opportunity to establish estimates for the entire chain’s staffing policy regarding demographic representation of the workforce. How do you think individual stores can respond to overarching organizational objectives? Prepare a memo to be disseminated to the individual stores that gives a sense of your targets for the organization as a whole, and also gives the stores advice on how they can assist in narrowing any representation gaps you find through their recruiting, hiring, and promotion practices.

Guidelines for Case 2

To be successful with this case you will need to review it and the text reading assignment carefully – do not just scan it and expect to go right to the questions.Be sure you understand what your goal is before you begin.

The format to be used is to number each answer for each question.You can insert after the number of the question all input you elect to provide.It is sometimes helpful for students to put the question at the beginning of their answer to keep focus on answering the entire question and not forgetting important parts of the question.When the question asks for a memo you are to create a business communication in the form of an official memo.

At the beginning of the case there are some key points that will be covered.Do NOT be mistaken to think that those are your questions for the case.Your questions are to be found at the conclusion of the case under Specific Detailed Instructions.

This case contains some quantitative challenges, and requires students to accurately perform basic calculations involving human resources data.

The case begins with the Markov Analysis.You will be able to copy and paste the form into a word document and then enter your calculations.

Step One: You are given the percent of people who stayed or were retained in the current position.Example: 53 percent remain as Store associates, while 6 percent were promoted to (2) Shift leader. So that means you take .53 X 8,500 = 4505 and .06 X 8,500 = 510.Proceed with the calculations using the example as shown above for each percent given applying it to the position affected. That will give you correct figures in your Forecast of Availabilities for the next year projections.Do not skip any of the percentages given.

The figures give in the ‘Exit’ column are simply that – How many in each position left the company.This is NOT the figure used in the Markov Analysis because it does not consider those who were promoted to the next position level or demoted, if that is the case.

The following video may help your understanding of the Markov Analysis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCdUmlOsP8w

Step Two:Once you have the correct figures entered in the middle table, add up those figures for each column.Then take the sum and subtract it from the current workforce figure as given in the table.For example Take 8,500 – 4,505 for Store associates and that means that of the 8,500 you will need for next year, 4,505 remain in the position meaning you will have a gap of 3,995.Do the same calculations, only extrapolate the figures from the calculations you have performed for each position.This will provide the Gap analysis you seek to provide to Tanglewood for planning purposes for the year to come.

Doing this successfully you have completed the Markov Analysis correctly for the company.This is a handy method to project what positions will need to be recruited/filled for the following year.If a company were in a growth spurt, the current year figures might be adapted to include projected increases in that position and then figure into the calculations accordingly.

NOTE: that 1e of the question for Case two Question 1, requires a memo to be generated from you explaining the hiring goals.(The text will give you a good idea of what this question requires in line with a corporate communications and will required that you have read and understood Case one which lays the ground work for strategic staffing levels issues.This review was to have been accomplished in Week one.If you did not do that, than now is a great time to review Case one.

Question 2 requires you do some research.The link is provided for the Census EEO Data tool.The internal data for the current workforce is explained and provided for you in the case.The text will also provide helpful guidance in understanding how to calculate and understand any deficiency in the available workforce compared to the current workforce.Do your best to evaluate these figures and determine where, if any, deficiencies exist.You need not show your calculations, but you do need to arrive at several of the trends you can determine from the data to accurately address this question.

Question 3: Here you need to think about internal versus external hires to correct any noted discrepancies for the affirmative action plan.What time line should be followed, a speedy approach or a consistent slower approach and why would one be better over another.Be sure to read the question carefully and address all the questions posed in the case.

Question 4:This question again required a new memo to be developed.Be aware of the culture of Tanglewood as you prepare to let managers in other stores know what has been discovered at the Washington Store.Managers are encouraged to be autonomous while also feeling as though they are participating fully in the ownership and management of Tangelwood operations.It is important at Tanglewood that all employees feel a sense of satisfaction.The goal is to encourage managers to address local shortfalls in EEO areas successfully.Not only must EEO goals be held as key to hiring, but simultaneous attention MUST be paid to qualifications for each position as well.