Page 250 - Introduction to Business

224 PART 2 Managing Business Behavior

indeed argued that teams with African American Web Assignments
coaches should get extra draft picks, while teams
without African American coaches or other clear 1. The Society for Human Resource Management
indications of having a diverse front office should (SHRM) is the world’s largest association devoted
lose draft picks. Others have argued that African to HRM, with over 175,000 members. It was
American players should boycott playing for teams founded in 1948 and has more than 500 affiliated
that have not been proactive in this regard. What chapters in the United States and members in
do you think? Any ideas for positively addressing more than 120 countries. Go to its website at
this issue? www.shrm.org, and find a list of the 500 affiliated
2. Americans work harder than employees in almost chapters. Also, find and read SHRM’s most recent
every developed country in the world. While annual report and make a list of its top priorities
employees in countries like Germany, Italy, and and initiatives. And if you’re interested, look and
France take an average of 35 to 40 vacation days, see if they have any jobs or internships open!
including public holidays, per year, Americans 2. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Com-
squeeze in an average of only about 14 vacation mission (EEOC) plays a major role in regulating
days. Americans also tend to work as many or today’s workplace. Go to the EEOC website,
more hours per week. Moreover, these differences www.eeoc.gov, and prepare short one-paragraph
have been increased by advances in technology summaries of five current posted news items
like cell phones and e-mail, which permit Ameri- involving the EEOC. Also, write a one-page history
cans to work even while on vacation. But is all this and evaluation of the success of the EEOC’s media-
work, which many Americans wear as a badge of tion program.
honor, good? Increasingly, medical studies show a 3. The International Labor Organization (ILO) is a
correlation between a lack of vacation time and ill- branch of the United Nations dealing with the
nesses such as heart attacks. In addition, there is rights of workers throughout the world. Go to its
evidence that taking vacations leads to increased website, www.ilo.org, and familiarize yourself with
workplace productivity when on the job—that the general goals and operations of this agency.
refreshed workers are better workers. What do you Then go to its special website for the United States
think? Should the United States move toward the at us.ilo.org and write a one-page analysis of the
European and Canadian models of more worker ILO’s key things the ILO does and the role of the
vacation time? United States in this organization.

Portfolio Projects

Exploring Your Own Case in Point Starting Your Own Business
In this chapter we presented a comprehensive overview After reading this chapter, you should be able to add
of the human resource function of major corporations. information about your company’s human resources to
Answering these questions will help you better under- your business plan.
stand this important dimension of your company’s 1. Will your business need to hire employees? If so,
operations. what types of individuals will have to be hired ini-
1. What types of employee staffing needs is your tially?
company going to have during the coming decade? 2. How do you intend to recruit the initial employees
What are some of the primary places your com- your business will need? Do you already have any
pany recruits for new employees? individuals in mind?
2. Does your company have pension/retirement 3. Do you plan to offer health insurance and other
plans for its employees? If it has a defined benefit benefits for the employees you plan to initially
plan, is this plan adequately funded? hire? From what carrier(s) do you hope to obtain
3. Are any of your company’s employees represented such insurance and other benefits?
by labor unions? If so, when do its current collec- 4. Is there a chance your business might face an early
tive bargaining agreements expire? union organizing drive or request for recognition
4. How diverse is your company’s workforce? Are any by a labor union? How do you plan to react to such
of its top executives females or minority group a unionization effort by your employees?
members?
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