Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay’s masterful performance (hard for this Reds fan to swallow) in Game 1 of the National League Division Series is a gem worth analyzing. While most insiders quickly recognize that a no-hitter involves team contributions, Roy Halladay’s entire season should be evaluated from the perspective of individual behavior. Nevertheless, the article also affords opportunities to discuss Human Resource Management, Motivation, and Teamwork.

QUESTIONS:

M1. In this day and age where professional athletes have very little commitment to a single team (consider Lebron James), Roy Halladay joins Philadelphia and has a record book-type season in his first year with the Phillies. Granted he had several good seasons with his previous team, the Toronto Blue Jays, but none that distinguishes him quite like this year’s effort. Discuss the role of his psychological contract with the Phillies and why that might help explain the situation. What is different about being with the Phillies (as opposed to the Blue Jays)?

M2. Clearly athletic ability contributes to Roy Halladay’s success. What about personality? Construct a personality type that you believe would be associated with success at the Major League level.

M3. Professional athletes earn tremendous salaries (in relation to what you and I can generally expect during our careers). Is this the key component of job satisfaction for a player like Roy Halladay? What other factors might contribute to his feelings about working for the Philadelphia Phillies? Is this something that the Phillies should care about?

M4. Big games like playoffs and no-hitters are stressful. Do moods influence these performances? If so, how? Consider the comment made by catcher Carlos Ruiz. Does this reflect mood contagion?

SOURCE: M. Dodd & S. Livingstone, “No-Hit Wonders: Reflections on MLB’s Exclusive Two-Man Club,” USA Today (Retrievable online at http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/phillies/2010-10-07-halladay-no-hitter_N.htm)

In another example of the viral effects of the internet, a passenger on board a Cebu Pacific Airlines flight recorded attendants dancing their way through the safety briefing. Millions of views generated tremendous publicity both for the fledgling airline and the Phillipines.

QUESTIONS:

M1. Was this safety demonstration effective communication, efficient communication, both, or neither? [Note: if you have ever been on an airline flight, think about how much attention you give to these safety briefings.]

M2. Identify communication barriers present in the demonstration. Considering your response to the preceding topic question, would you recommend Cebu Pacific stop conducting the safety demonstration this way? Why or why not?

M3. How does the video clip and its popularity represent social capital for Cebu Pacific Airlines?

SOURCE: C. Batino & C. Yap, “Flight Attendants Dancing to Lady Gaga Good for Airline IPO,” USA Today (Retrievable online at http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2010-10-08-gagaflight08_ST_N.htm)

Related video clip available at:

When United and Continental merged, the new combined company pushed ahead of Delta to become the biggest carrier in the airline industry. This after Delta assumed the position from rival American two years ago. Another rival, Southwest, is poised to increase its size in a proposed acquisition of Air Tran. The industry is becoming less crowded and more competitive. United-Continental CEO Jeff Smisek plans to be successful through business basics, i.e., a strong company culture and quality customer service. For now, Smisek must set about ensuring that the company can deliver.

QUESTIONS:

M1. All of the major competitors in the airline industry offer the same product. What is the United-Continental competitive advantage? How does this advantage compare to that of other carriers? Is the United-Continental advantage sustainable?

M2. With respect to rivals, what condition exists in the airline industry? Analyze the attractiveness of this industry using Porter’s Five Forces Model. What is your assessment? What is the outlook for the new United-Continental merged company?

M3. Read through the interview with CEO Smisek. What is the business-level strategy for United-Continental? Upon what do you base your response?

M4. Would you characterize Smisek as a strategic leader? If so, why? If not, what should he be doing?

SOURCE: D. Reed, “United Is Merged: CEO Smisek Is Ready to Take on the World,” USA Today (Retrievable online at http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2010-10-01-unitedceo_CV_N.htm)

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced the promotion of three high-level company executives last week. The moves were made in response to two key departures from the high tech giant. Kurt DelBene, Don Mattrick, and Andy Lees will run the Office, interactive entertainment, and mobile communications divisions.

QUESTIONS:

M1. High technology organizations rely heavily on innovation. In what ways do the promotions of DelBene, Mattrick, and Lees enhance the creative work environment of Microsoft? What characteristics of innovative organizations do the promotions reinforce?

M2. What type of innovation is represented by Microsoft products?

M3. What type of change is represented by promoting leaders from within the company?

SOURCE: N. Wingfield, “Microsoft Fills Executive Gaps,” Wall Street Journal (Retrievable online at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704029304575526142910565712.html)

In recent years, there have been several cases of widespread illness associated with food contamination. There is growing concern about the quality of our food supplies and how these are processed. Monitoring of food processing facilities is limited. The present article suggests that audits themselves are tainted because the companies being audited pay for the service. This makes audit firms less likely to point out serious problems.

QUESTIONS:

M1. Look at the definitions for ethics and ethical behavior. Why are laws not sufficient to ensure ethical behavior?

M2. Explain why the situation described in the article is an ethical dilemma from the standpoint of each of the following: food manufacturers, food suppliers, and audit firms.

M3. Consider the practice of third-party audits. A food manufacturing company purchasing products from a supplier requires an audit, but the audit expense is paid by the supplier who also selects the auditor. Pretend you the owner of a food manufacturing company and you are about to follow this practice. What level of moral development are you displaying? Why? In terms of food safety, what level should you display?

M4. What are some ways that the food industry could continue to police itself and maintain high ethical standards?

SOURCE: E. Weise, “Food Safety Auditors Are Often Paid By the Firms They Audit,” USA Today (Retrievable online at http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2010-10-01-foodaudits01_ST_N.htm)

Earlier this month, Japan arrested a Chinese fishing boat captain after his boat slammed into a Japanese coast guard vessel in the East China Sea. The arrest led to a standoff in which China made a number of threats and demands. Japan eventually acquiesced and is now making overtures to the United States.

QUESTIONS:

M1. To westerners, China and Japan might seem very similar. Yet there is little evidence of effective communication between the two countries. Beyond the dispute over control of waters, what factor likely explains the difficulty?

M2. Identify the styles used by both countries to handle the conflict. Describe characteristics that help you identify each.

M3. While the current dispute has been resolved with the release of the fishing boat captain, it is symptomatic of wider tensions between the two countries. Given this, why might Japan be looking to the United States? Is it simply about strengthening trade? Consider United States’ role in the Fujita Corp. affair.

SOURCE: R. Blumenstein, G. Fairclough, & Y. Hayashi, “Japan Caves In On China; Looks to U.S.,” Wall Street Journal (Retrievable online at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703384204575511033698480628.html)

Related video clip available at:

When customers Twitter about their experiences, businesses are “listening.” At least restaurants are beginning to pay more attention. Some owners are strategically interacting with customers that Tweet about their restaurants.

QUESTIONS:

M1. Think about Tweets like the one made by Mr. Bosco. Is it data or information? How much does it really matter to a restaurant such as Wow Bao (after all, Mr. Bosco was still going to dinner there)? If you argue that these Tweets are useful, identify the criteria they satisfy.

M2. Discuss how technologies like Twitter and Facebook are changing the way organizations do business. What barrier is being broken?

M3. Not all social information is processed the same, as evidenced by Graham Elliott’s responses. How do openness to problem solving and thinking styles influence the way a restaurant owner might deal with a wide variety of Tweets?

SOURCE: S. Dai, “Restaurants Turning to Twitter to Fix Customer Complaints,” USA Today (Retrievable online at http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2010-09-25-restaurants-using-twitter_N.htm)

The author suggests that seven countries with lands in the far north of the globe are in a position to capitalize on ecological and demographic shifts that will have the rest of the world looking north by 2050. He offers that these countries meet the requirements necessary for a new civilization to grow. The article is highly speculative. The key conditions upon which it is based (e.g., irreversible global warming, uncontrollable population growth) are disputable. Still, the article offers an intriguing case study to examine global strategies and the best ways to manage firms to take advantage of new opportunities.

QUESTIONS:

IB1. Examine the map in the article and then the one on Page 71 of the text. Of the New North countries, all have positive current account balances except the United States. What advantages or disadvantages do you see to an alliance involving these countries?

IB2. Consider that Arctic countries, in contrast to equatorial countries, do not offer the most appealing climates for business relocation. How will countries in this region be able to satisfy Porter’s “diamond of national advantage?”

IB3. Compare the conditions required for new civilizations to grow with Porter’s Cluster Theory. While the former may be satisfied, how well are these New North countries poised to fulfill the conditions of Cluster Theory? What is your estimation of the likelihood of such a development?

M1. If you were the manager of a company (e.g., 3M) headquartered in the United States, would you be excited by this New North hypothesis? What type of global strategy(ies) would you consider?

M2. Develop an assessment of this new global business environment in terms of risk and trade.

M3. How does the author’s hypothesis fit with the notion of sustainable development?

SOURCE: L. C. Smith, “Unfreezing Arctic Assets,” Wall Street Journal (Retrievable online at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703440604575496261529207620.html)

The Cuban economy is on life support. Eighty-five percent of the island nation’s workers are employed by the government and President Raul Castro says this is no longer sustainable. The country plans to lay off half a million workers in short order, but more than four million workers will still remain on the government payroll. Cuba attempted economic reform in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union but then sharply curtailed those efforts when the economy stabilized. As a result, there is very little private sector opportunity and heavy government regulation on what does exist. The few exports are declining and countries sympathetic to Cuba are increasingly unable to provide support.

QUESTIONS:

IB1. Using information from the article, explain Cuba’s current account deficit for 2009. In which of the four subcategories is Cuba likely to see any improvement? Suggest some ways, if the move toward capitalism is legitimate, that Cuba might improve its situation.

IB2. What is the likelihood of economic crisis (beyond the current global crisis) for Cuba? Examine the typical development path for crisis in the text. How many steps has Cuba fulfilled? Project what could happen if Cuba does not implement drastic changes.

IB3. Cuba, like the United States, has a current account deficit. Contrast the conditions for capital mobility in the two countries.

SOURCE: J. de Cordoba & N. Casey, “Cuba to Cut State Jobs in Tilt Toward Free Market,” Wall Street Journal (Retrievable online at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704190704575489932181245938.html)

While the economic recession is global, some countries have been hit harder than others. Following the Cold War, Russia embraced capitalism and experienced considerable growth in its economy. Now that growth is being reversed and Russia’s status as an economic power is being eclipsed by other emerging nations. Russia needs a partnership in order to modernize its economy. Enter the European Union, but it is safe to say the past is hard to forget. Some members of the EU are suspicious about bringing Russia into the federation, even loosely. As a warning, some Russia leaders mention the possibility of an alliance with China and other Asian countries, but that relationship would be risky. Still Russia is making overtures to Europe that it is serious about cooperating. Only time will tell what sort of agreement might emerge.

QUESTIONS:

IB1. If the world is increasingly moving toward global free trade, why is it necessary for Russia to develop stronger ties with the European Union? What advantages do economic unions offer independent countries?

IB2. While some members are skeptical about an alliance with Russia, why might a stronger relationship be advantageous to the European Union? Should China be factored into the EU’s decision making? Why?

IB3. Does Figure 8.3 support the statement “that Russia is not a sustainable BRIC?” Keeping this figure in mind and reviewing Table 8.5, are Russia’s concerns about China legitimate? What is driving China’s rise as an economic power and why might it be interested in Russia?

SOURCE: S. Fidler, “A Weakened Russia Looks to Europe,” Wall Street Journal (Retrievable online at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704505804575483451995018566.html)