QUESTIONS

Case Application: A Training and Development Problem at Sumerson

Manufacturing
1. How to hire and train an entire staff of new employees below the second level of
manaement in one year and have them ready to open the new plant! and
". How to proc#re and train the balance of the tho#sand employees needed to staff the
plant by the pro$ected f#ll%operations date. &hat is yo#r plan'
1. Ans: Students will need to draw from several chapters. In order to develop a hiring plan,
the company will need to have identified specific jobs and the knowledge and skills
associated with those jobs. Some students will likely recommend that Sumerson review
their existing jobs. Bright students will note that Sumerson will move some of its best
employees to the new plant this raises an interesting set of issues about what the culture
will be like in the existing plants!.
"he training plan will likely involve the # steps noted in the chapter$
1. %eeds analysis
&. Instructional design
'. (alidation
). Implementation
#. *valuation + follow,up
&. Ans: -. will want to involve the supervisors at the new plant and get their input in any
recruiting plan. "he plant provides an opportunity for Sumerson to review its prior practices
and establish new benchmarks.
(#nnin )ase* )arter )leanin )ompany! the New Trainin +roram
1. Specifically, what sho#ld the )arters cover in their new employee orientation proram,
and how sho#ld we convey this information'
The students should refer to the orientation checklist in Figure 7.1 and the section on orienting
employees in the chapter.
3. In the H( manaement co#rse -ennifer too., the boo. s#ested #sin a tas. analysis
record form to identify tas.s performed by an employee. Sho#ld we #se a form li.e this for
the co#nterperson/s $ob and if so what wo#ld the filled%in form loo. li.e'
The students should refer to the section on the training needs of new employees. This section
discusses a task analysis form, which includes: task analysis record form can also be used. It
contains the following information: task list when and how often performed !uantity, !uality
performance standards conditions under which performed skills or knowledge re!uired and
where best learned "refer them to Table #$1%.
&. &hich specific trainin techni0#es sho#ld -ennifer #se to train her pressers, her cleaner%
spotters, her manaers, and her co#nter people, and why'
The students should re'iew the training techni!ues discussed in chapter and conduct research on
the Internet to re'iew the 'arious training resources offered for each of these positions.
Application Case: Reinventing the Wheel at Apex Door Compan
!" What do ou thin# of Apex$s training process% Could it help to explain &h
emploees 'do things their &a( and if so) ho&%
"here is a weak accountability system. "he person assigned to perform training is likely to have
very low motivation a departing employee!. /ith no formal descriptions the trainer will teach
0their way1 of accomplishing tasks. "here is no training documentation. 2ne receives training
in 0how to train.1 "here are no outcome measures to determine if the training was successful.
*" What role do +ob descriptions pla in training%
3ob descriptions set the boundaries of jobs in terms of re4uired knowledge and skills. By
understanding the job description, a trainer can define the learning re4uirements for a new or
transitioning employee.
," -xplain in detail &hat ou &ould do to improve the training process at Apex" Ma#e sure to
provide specific suggestions) please"
*very position would have a formal written! description. "raining procedures would be documented for
each position. Supervisors would be formally accountable for training.