CASE QUESTIONSIs job enrichment an appropriate solution to this situation? Explain yourIdentify how you would redesign Brenda's job to enrich it. Write both a job description and a mission statement for Brenda's newIdentify how you would implement or go about completing this process. Think about how you would deal with the following: Brenda, Brenda's co-workers, other departmental staff, Branch Operations personnel and the Personnel Department (for job evaluation). Create an implementation Background InformationBrenda Dawson worked hard, liked what she did and was goodat it. Brenda was the senior customer service associates trainer withAmerican Products, Inc., a state-wide retail service organizationwith over 90 branch outlets. Typically, there were about four to sixcustomer service agents (CSA's) in each branch of- fice.Brenda reported to Bill Abbott, head of the TrainingDepartment. Bill and Brenda started working in the TrainingDepartment at about the same time two years ago. Since then, Billhad noticed Brenda's natural talent for training. In his opinion, shehad considerable potential for higher levels of responsibility, too-which was why he became concerned when Brenda startedshowing signs of becoming bored, stressful, and, in general,unenthusiastic about her work. Bill wanted to deal with theproblem directly but was not sure how to do it.Late one day, after everyone had already left the offices, Billtook a break from a report on which he was working to recallsome of the history and cir- cumstances surrounding Brenda:Brenda was initially hired to work as a CSA and compiled astrong record of performance. After three years as a CSA,she was promoted to a position as a CSA supervisor in oneof the busier branch offices. When the position of CSAtrainer opened up, Brenda was a natural choice. She tookover the CSA trainer job just a few months before BillAbbott was hired. So, when Bill moved in, Brenda was stilllearning the basics of training.During this period, American Products was undergoing a lotof changes itself as it struggled to meet new a variety of newcompetitive challenges in the marketplace. For example, inthe boom economy of the time, CSA turnover was high. Atone point, Brenda had to teach 12 people in classes thatwere designed for eight. And even with this 50 percentincrease in training output, there was still a six-week waitinglist to get into the training. Brenda would teach the class in theusual three-week period, take tests home at night to grade, usetwo days to finish up class records and order supplies, thenget right back into the next class. When Bill finally receivedapproval for a second trainer, Brenda had to train thatperson in addition to her hectic workload.Small wonder, Bill thought to himself, that she's ready to dosomething else. He reviewed the current situation in his department. Therewere five people in the Training Department: in addition toBill and Brenda, there was the second CSA trainer Chris, amanagement trainee program coordinator and the depart-mental secretary. All reported directly to Bill, who was nowswamped with other projects.Bill thought about what he wanted: fewer people reportingto him directly, a reinvigorated Brenda with new, morechallenging assignments, and the entire CSA training effortcoordinated and managed at a lower level.As he sat staring out the window, absently toying with thepages of the re- port on which he was working, Bill made alist of some additional pieces to this puzzle:1. Brenda had supervisory experience and the potential tosupervise others. She already was serving in a senior,lead-worker capacity with Chris, the other CSA trainer.2. Both he and Brenda were aware of the need for otherCSA training pro- grams. Some already existed, butcould not be given because of time limitations, whereasothers needed to be developed. For example, pro- gramsin customer relations, product knowledge, and salesskills had been "simmering on the back-burner" for sixmonths and were waiting for someone to put themtogether and deliver them.3. The rate of CSA turnover was subsiding, and Bill knewthat soon there would be a need for only one three-weekCSA training class. This would cut out the need forrunning two classes at a time, as was done now.4. There was a need for a new program for training CSAsupervisors in branch service and supervisory tasks. Thisprogram would have to be de- veloped.5. Bill handled virtually all administrative and politicalissues in order to avoid burdening the staff. Forexample, the budgets for Brenda's CSA Training Centercame directly to him each month, and Brenda never sawthem. He did all the budget planning for her, too.6. Likewise, Bill fielded all the problems and questionsthat the Branch Operations people had about CSAtraining. He had instituted the Advi- sory Committee ofBranch personnel to meet with the Training Depart-ment in order to act as conduit for branch officecomplaints and to serve as a sounding board fordepartmental ideas. He knew this was a good approach.Brenda, while interested, said she'd never seen anythinglike that done before, and claimed not to have time toget tooinvolved.7. Chris, the second CSA trainer, had been doing anacceptable job, but he needed help and coaching. Billhad neither the time nor the background to do that.Given these factors, Bill wondered what he could do tore- structure Brenda's job in order to make it morechallenging and satisfy- ing while also improving theproductivity and effectiveness of the department.

Question

CASE QUESTIONSIs job enrichment an appropriate solution to this situation? Explain yourIdentify how you would redesign Brenda's job to enrich it. Write both a job description and a mission statement for Brenda's newIdentify how you would implement or go about completing this process. Think about how you would deal with the following: Brenda, Brenda's co-workers, other departmental staff, Branch Operations personnel and the Personnel Department (for job evaluation). Create an implementation Background InformationBrenda Dawson worked hard, liked what she did and was goodat it. Brenda was the senior customer service associates trainer withAmerican Products, Inc., a state-wide retail service organizationwith over 90 branch outlets. Typically, there were about four to sixcustomer service agents (CSA's) in each branch of- fice.Brenda reported to Bill Abbott, head of the TrainingDepartment. Bill and Brenda started working in the TrainingDepartment at about the same time two years ago. Since then, Billhad noticed Brenda's natural talent for training. In his opinion, shehad considerable potential for higher levels of responsibility, too-which was why he became concerned when Brenda startedshowing signs of becoming bored, stressful, and, in general,unenthusiastic about her work. Bill wanted to deal with theproblem directly but was not sure how to do it.Late one day, after everyone had already left the offices, Billtook a break from a report on which he was working to recallsome of the history and cir- cumstances surrounding Brenda:Brenda was initially hired to work as a CSA and compiled astrong record of performance. After three years as a CSA,she was promoted to a position as a CSA supervisor in oneof the busier branch offices. When the position of CSAtrainer opened up, Brenda was a natural choice. She tookover the CSA trainer job just a few months before BillAbbott was hired. So, when Bill moved in, Brenda was stilllearning the basics of training.During this period, American Products was undergoing a lotof changes itself as it struggled to meet new a variety of newcompetitive challenges in the marketplace. For example, inthe boom economy of the time, CSA turnover was high. Atone point, Brenda had to teach 12 people in classes thatwere designed for eight. And even with this 50 percentincrease in training output, there was still a six-week waitinglist to get into the training. Brenda would teach the class in theusual three-week period, take tests home at night to grade, usetwo days to finish up class records and order supplies, thenget right back into the next class. When Bill finally receivedapproval for a second trainer, Brenda had to train thatperson in addition to her hectic workload.Small wonder, Bill thought to himself, that she's ready to dosomething else. He reviewed the current situation in his department. Therewere five people in the Training Department: in addition toBill and Brenda, there was the second CSA trainer Chris, amanagement trainee program coordinator and the depart-mental secretary. All reported directly to Bill, who was nowswamped with other projects.Bill thought about what he wanted: fewer people reportingto him directly, a reinvigorated Brenda with new, morechallenging assignments, and the entire CSA training effortcoordinated and managed at a lower level.As he sat staring out the window, absently toying with thepages of the re- port on which he was working, Bill made alist of some additional pieces to this puzzle:1. Brenda had supervisory experience and the potential tosupervise others. She already was serving in a senior,lead-worker capacity with Chris, the other CSA trainer.2. Both he and Brenda were aware of the need for otherCSA training pro- grams. Some already existed, butcould not be given because of time limitations, whereasothers needed to be developed. For example, pro- gramsin customer relations, product knowledge, and salesskills had been &#34;simmering on the back-burner&#34; for sixmonths and were waiting for someone to put themtogether and deliver them.3. The rate of CSA turnover was subsiding, and Bill knewthat soon there would be a need for only one three-weekCSA training class. This would cut out the need forrunning two classes at a time, as was done now.4. There was a need for a new program for training CSAsupervisors in branch service and supervisory tasks. Thisprogram would have to be de- veloped.5. Bill handled virtually all administrative and politicalissues in order to avoid burdening the staff. Forexample, the budgets for Brenda's CSA Training Centercame directly to him each month, and Brenda never sawthem. He did all the budget planning for her, too.6. Likewise, Bill fielded all the problems and questionsthat the Branch Operations people had about CSAtraining. He had instituted the Advi- sory Committee ofBranch personnel to meet with the Training Depart-ment in order to act as conduit for branch officecomplaints and to serve as a sounding board fordepartmental ideas. He knew this was a good approach.Brenda, while interested, said she'd never seen anythinglike that done before, and claimed not to have time toget tooinvolved.7. Chris, the second CSA trainer, had been doing anacceptable job, but he needed help and coaching. Billhad neither the time nor the background to do that.Given these factors, Bill wondered what he could do tore- structure Brenda's job in order to make it morechallenging and satisfy- ing while also improving theproductivity and effectiveness of the department.

Accepted Answer

A Small Introduction about Operation Management

Operations management (OM) is the organization of…