Reflection on 3/31/10

In class, we talked about emotional cycle associated with a foreign assignment: Honeymoon, culture shock, learning, and adjustment. As our professor mentioned, he had all these stages even though he thought he was ready. I have a same experience. Because I went to a college in the US, had many American friends and learned their culture from them, I thought it would be easy to work for an American company. However, I sometimes got culture shock and learned differences when I worked for an American company. I think learning the difference of other cultures and the emotional cycle is very important to be ready for global market.

Ch 16. Creating and Maintaining High-Performance Organizations

According to this chapter, the definition of high-performance work systems is the right combination of people, technology, and organizational structure that makes full use of the organization’s resources and opportunities in achieving its goals. The elements of a high-performance work system such as organizational structure, task design, people, reward systems, and information systems have to work together.

Have you worked for a company which has a high-performance work system? If so, what was the benefits you received from the system?

This chapter also mentioned about human resource management technology which can improve the efficiency of the HRM functions and support knowledge sharing. HRM applications including transaction process, decision support systems, and expert systems can improve the competence of routine tasks and the quality of decisions.

How does HRM technology help to improve the quality of decisions?

Ch 15. Managing Human Resources Globally

Due to the globalized environment, more companies are entering international markets. Companies export their products, build facilities in other countries and enter into alliances with foreign companies. When the organizations operate in international markets, they have to know the factors that influence HRM in the markets such as culture, education, economic systems and
political-legal systems.

Have you worked for a foreign company? If so, what was the biggest challenge?

When organizations operate overseas, they have to decide whether to hire parent-country nationals, host-country nationals, or third-country nationals for the overseas operations. Usually, they hire a combination of these. If organizations decide to send employees on foreign assignments, organizations prepare the employees through cross-cultural training.

What are some advantages from firing host-country nationals? How about challenges?

Reflection on 3/9 class

One of things we learned in the class was the benefits required by law – there are four benefits: Social Security, Unemployment insurance, Workers’ compensation, and Family and Medical Leave. I think medical insurance should be required by law like it does in Korea. Here in America, the medical expenses are too expensive so people who do not have medical insurance are afraid to go to a hospital.

Ch 14. Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations

According this chapter, workers may negotiate differences with their employers individually or they may form unions to negotiate on their behalf. To avoid conflicts, it is important to understand each other’s goals: management goals are to increase the organization’s profits. However, labor union goals are to satisfy their members with obtaining pay and working conditions and give members a voice in decisions that affect them. For that reason, the role of government laws and regulations which affect union and labor relations are important.

Have you joined a labor union? Why?

Unions engage in organizing, collective bargaining and contract administration with business and government organizations. This chapter talks about the union membership in the United States has been declining among business but has held steady with government employees.

Why do you think the union membership is decrease in business?

Ch.13 Providing Employee Benefits

Chapter 13 talks about employee benefits which are compensation in forms other than cash. There are some benefits, such as Social Security or unemployment insurance, required by law. However, many of them are optional benefits; paid leave, medical insurance, retirement plan etc. To select employee benefits, employers need to consider the organization’s objectives, employees’ expectations and values, and benefits’ costs. Indeed, organizations should aware of the regulations to design and administer benefits programs.

Do you know the detail of the benefits your company provides? I remember that one of employees who quit the job said that didn’t know the company provided education support and felt regret for not using the benefit.

This chapter talks about the importance of communicating information about employee benefits. According to this chapter, employees and job applicants often have a poor idea of what benefits they have and the market value of their benefits. Employer spend large amount of money on benefits, but if employees do not understand how to use them or why they are valuable, the cost of the benefits will be wasted. Therefore, organizations must communicate benefits information effectively so that the benefits motivate employees.

What is the best way to communicate benefit information to employees?

Reflection on 3/4 class

We had a class assignment; each group had to discuss about pro and con for a type of incentive pays. Our group talked about ‘group bonus and team reward’. As we discussed, working together as a group brings a synergy effect, but there are some people who do not work hard and take advantage from other team members. Also, another con is that competition may prevent necessary cooperation among group.

Ch12. Recognizing Employee Contributions with Pay

According to the Chapter 12, incentive pay is the forms of pay linked to an employee’s performance as an individual, group member, or organization member. It is influential because the amount paid is linked to predefined behaviors or outcomes. Through communication and participation in decisions, employees can feel that the incentive pay plans are fair.

Imagine that many people at work received incentive pay but you are in the group of people who didn’t get the incentive pay. You thought you worked hard. How would you feel?

Chapter 12 talks about three types of payment. First, organizations provide a variety of pay incentives to individuals such as piecework rates, standard hour plans, merit pay, individual bonuses, and sales commissions. Next is the pay related to group including gainsharing, bonuses, and team awards. The last one is that organizations link pay to their overall performance: profit sharing and stock ownership.

Among the incentive pays, which one (pay link to individual performance, group performance or the organization’s overall performance) do you prefer? Why?