Reference no: EM132313981

Assignment - Case Study

Task Description: You are to develop a case study by reading research and analyzing a problem-situation. You will be given specific reading support to be able to understand the scope of the topic. You are then to write up a case study analysis following the format described below.

Notes on the Case Study Method: During university studies the use of case studies is a widely accepted means of bringing theoretical concepts and practical situations together. It is not possible to take a class into an organization and observe the subject matter of management or organizational behavior in real life - hence a written case study outlining a real, or realistic, situation is the best available alternative.

THE CASE STUDY PROBLEM -

A local car rental company, 'Apex Car Rentals', has recently suffered from poor reviews about its service in the local newspaper. A number of staff have left recently and the owners are struggling to recruit new workers. The level of absenteeism among the remaining employees has also increased over the last six months. The owner of the business has asked you to develop a Motivational Program for him to implement. Your work should include a definition of motivation and the expected benefits of having a motivated workforce, as well as your recommended program of activities and techniques.

On interviewing the workers at Apex, by Ms. Denise Myerson from Management Consultancy International, (MCI) she found several issues that the employees discussed when asked about their current job.

The issues included:

• There was not a lot of training provided and at times staff was told to simply work along with a more experienced car hire officer and they would get to understand the role. Staff felt that further training could have helped save them time just learning on the job.
• Staff also felt they didn't get enough feedback about how they were performing at their work, and not understanding whether a particular task is important.
• Staff especially if they felt that they tried to improve their own customer service performance there was no recognition of their good work.
• Some staff who were there for some time, felt that there weren't any proper consequences for poor performance by other staff who made mistakes, and they also felt that if they said something this would be looked at as negative by the concerned worker.
• Some of the staff said they found that other staff felt that management didn't understand their problems; and when they meet up outside the job they all make negative comments about the lack of teamwork.
• Ms Myerson suggests that the negative feelings only further disengage new staff who have just joined the firm. This has led to staff turnover being high.

GUIDELINES - First of all, the assignment should show that you have used the case study method throughout. In the case study approach, a scenario is analyzed to identify the major problems that exist. The main section is the Problem Identification section where you apply the ability to succinctly identify problems, a relevant theory which explains the problem, and case evidence which illustrates the problems. You should also look for a range of possible solutions for each problem, which should be thoroughly evaluated, with at least two to three advantages and disadvantages being given for each. Finally, you need to offer clear recommendation (or two or three) which is justified using the theory, and an Implementation section presented in concise, practical steps.

PRESENTATION OF WRITTEN MATERIAL FORMAT:

1. Title Page

2. Table of Contents

3. Executive Summary: This section should comprise a brief overview of the case, giving a brief background and noting any important assumptions made. (You will not have all the information you would like - so you may need to make some assumptions). As well as this, you should give a synopsis of your case report, noting very briefly the major problems identified and the recommended solutions. Half a page to one page is enough.

4. Problem Identification and Analysis: In this section you should identify all the major problems in the case. Try to get to underlying causes of problems, not just symptoms. You should link each problem identified to relevant theory and also to actual evidence from the case. Remember you MUST integrate theory and reference all non-original work.

5. Generation and Evaluation of Alternative Solutions: While most problems will have a very large number of possible solutions it is your task to identify and evaluate a number of the more appropriate (at least 2-3 for each major problem identified).

Each alternative solution should be briefly outlined and then evaluated in terms of its advantages and disadvantages (strong and weak points). Note: You must evaluate alternatives. It is not necessary to make a statement in this section as to which alternative is considered best - this is the next section. Do not integrate theory in this section and do not recommend theory. Practical solutions to the problems are required.

6. Recommendation: This section should state which of the alternative solutions (either singly or in combination) identified in section six is recommended for implementation. You should briefly justify your choice, explaining how it will solve the major problems identified in section six. Migration of relevant theory is appropriate here.

8. Implementation: In this section you should specifically explain how you will implement the recommended solutions. Theory cannot be implemented, you must translate it into actions. What should be done, by whom, when, in what sequence, what will it cost (rough estimates only) and other such issues. Remember if a recommended solution cannot he realistically implemented then it is no solution at all.

9. Bibliography/References: This will contain an alphabetical list of all the references you have cited in the body of the report. Do not include details of any sources you have not cited. Ensure the style used is correct and consistent.