Case Study 2: Intergenerational Issues
1. Based on your experiences working with students/colleagues of different ages, do you
believe that there are generational differences in attitudes toward work? Do a search
to see if there is any evidence for these beliefs. All individuals work to satisfy many
goals—to pay bills, to self-actualize, to socialize, to learn new skills, to innovate, to lead,
to manage, and so forth. Irrespective of age, all generations have these desires and one
generation does not trump another as being better. However, much research has been
conducted about the attitudinal and motivational differences with the Baby Boomers,
Generations X and Y, Echo Boomers, and so on, to demonstrate these differences in work
ethic, attitudes, motivation, trust, and so forth. What this research does is to polarize the
generations, giving them reasons to generate conflict. It is top management’s
responsibility to generate a culture where all generations have merit, and seniority is not
the only characteristic that is valued. Longevity in a company is meaningless if an
employee is left to coast and contribute less and less each year, as in the case of
Peregrine. There is very little empirical evidence that suggests there are distinct
generational differences. Most research shows that there is more intragenerational
diversity compared to intergenerational diversity. Moreover, given the globalizing world,
what makes a “generation” is different in different national contexts. Therefore, the
classification may be too broad in today’s business environment.
2. As the demand for autos declined, and GM and Chrysler faced bankruptcy, the benefits
given to auto workers were reduced. Check out the compensation packages for new auto
workers and decide if the package is attractive enough for young workers to leave school,
as these young workers did. The wages for employees in the Big Three auto
manufacturers (Ford, GM, and Chrysler) were originally more than twice the amount
earned by those working for foreign manufacturers. When the restructuring of 2008–09
went into effect, the wages were dropped to be more in line with the other auto
manufacturers. With massive layoffs and plant closures, the opportunities to work for the
Big Three also became scarce. Therefore, young workers would not be inclined to leave
school for jobs that did not exist, since only the most senior employees remained in these
companies, as long as they did not accept buyout packages. There are numerous websites
(e.g., macleans.ca/economy/business/auto-workers-make-a-lot-of-money-but-not-that-
much/) that state the average auto worker salary in Canada. The average seems to be
about $35/hour, which amounts to over $70 000 a year. The average manufacturing
worker, on the other hand, earns about $21/hour, amounting to about 42 000/year.
Case Study 3: Shell’s Top Recruiter Takes His Cues from Marketing
1. What functions of HRM are similar to marketing functions? How can thinking about
“marketing” a company’s jobs improve the strategic focus of HR personnel?
Recruitment, by its very nature, involves marketing. At Shell, HR needed to brand the
employment experience, and market to potential job applicants. It can improve the
strategic focus of HR because it forces some important questions, such as these: What
type of employee do we want? What are our values, and how can we demonstrate
those in our brand? What is our employee value proposition? How can we best meet
the needs of our employees?
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2. If you were planning to use marketing strategies to “brand” a company as an
employer of choice, what are some of the factors you would consider? Typical
responses might include the types of employees required. For instance, it is important
to know whether the organization is seeking creativity, risk-taking behaviours, team
playing skills, or if it values on-the-job learning. These elements can be features in the
branding. Moreover, it is important to know whether the recruitment pool is local,
regional, or global, and whether and how the recruitment drive would be adapted as a
result.
3. Do you agree with Singh’s statement that in the future, companies will have to apply
for skilled people to work for them rather than candidates applying to work at an
organization? Why or why not? Refer to the discussion in the text on knowledge
workers. Engineers are an example of knowledge workers, who are in high demand in
the Canadian and global marketplace. Moreover, the case states that many engineers at
Royal Dutch Shell will be retiring soon, exacerbating the issue. So, in this case, the