When answering the question(s), please state the question and then provide your response(s).

1. Discuss how does the market-driven approach illustrate that HR has strategic, operational, and administrative roles at SYSCO?
2. Discuss the types of HR changes that could have affected reductions in workers’ compensation expenses, employee turnover, and increases in customer satisfaction.

HR Contributes at SYSCO

Many people in the United States are not familiar with SYSCO, but they see its results because SYSCO is the largest food services and distribution company with almost $24 billion in annual sales. SYSCO supplies food products to customers in restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, hospitals, and other companies. In a firm the size of SYSCO with more than 40,000 employees, HR management is making significant contributions to organizational success. As an indication of this success, SYSCO received the Optimas award for general HR Excellence from Workforce Magazine.

Beginning several years ago, the need to revitalize HR activities was recognized by both executives and senior HR staff members. At the time, the SYSCO operating regions had administered many of their own HR practices. To bring change to HR corporate-wide, while preserving the entrepreneurial independence of the regions, a “market-driven” HR approach was developed. In this approach, corporate HR identified ways it could assist regional operations, and then developed programs and services that met regional needs. However, unlike in many other corporations where corporate HR programs would be “mandated” to operating units, SYSCO took a different approach. Key to market-driven HR is that managers in the regional operations must be convinced to “buy” the corporate HR services. For example, if a supervisory training program is developed by corporate HR, regional managers decide if they want to use the program for supervisory training in their regions.

Another part of creating HR as market driven was the establishment by corporate HR of a Virtual Resource Center (VRC) to provide services to managers and employees. A key aspect of the VRC is use of HR technology to gather extensive data on HR activities and provide that data to operating managers. One source of data is workplace climate surveys of employees. Using the survey data, HR developed initiatives to increase safety, which reduced workers’ compensation claims by 30%, resulting in savings of $10 million per year.

Another problem that SYSCO had was high turnover rates of night shift warehouse workers. Recruiting these workers has been a constant challenge for SYSCO and other distribution firms. By implementing a variety of programs and services, based on employee and managerial input from surveys, the retention rate for these warehouse employees has been increased by 20%, resulting in savings of $15 million per year. These savings are due to reduced time and money spent recruiting, selecting, and training new employees. Also, employees with more experience are more productive and more knowledgeable about SYSCO operations and products.

Another area where HR has contributed is with truck and delivery drivers. Data gathered through the VRC has been used to revise base pay and incentive programs, increase driver retention rates, and improve driver safety records. Additionally, customer satisfaction rates increased and delivery expenses declined.

All of these changes illustrate that HR efforts at SYSCO have been paying off for the company, managers, and employees. But as the value of HR efforts is recognized by more managers, HR’s role at SYSCO is likely to continue growing and changing.

Welcome to the second SLP project for this course. For this paper, please review the logistics system of the organization you are examining and in a 3- to 4-page paper answer the following questions:

Does your selected organization use quality management procedures in its logistics system? In what ways (as you are to give some specific examples)? If the organization does not use quality management procedures, what steps would you suggest they put in place in order to improve its logistics system?

Be sure to provide some description of the different quality tools, processes, etc., and be specific in your examples.

SLP Assignment Expectations

Research the organization with information you can find on the internet or other resources you find on your own. The paper should be 3–4 pages in length and have a cover sheet and a reference page. Clarity of presentation is important, as well as your ability to apply the topics to the logistics area of your selected firm. Use at least 3 different sources of information and annotate your sources of information appropriately on your references page and within the text as necessary. You will be assessed on how well you demonstrate your knowledge of the topic as it applies to your selected firm. Submit your assignment for grading by the end of this module.

Part 1

Edward Seymour is a financial consultant to Cornish Inc., a real estate syndicate. Cornish finances and develops commercial real estate (office buildings) projects. The completed projects are then sold as limited partnership interests to individual investors. The syndicate makes a profit on the sale of these partnership interests. Edward provides financial information for prospective investors in a document called the offering “prospectus.” This document discusses the financial and legal details of the limited partnership investment.

One of the company’s current projects is called JEDI 2, and has the syndicate borrowing money from a local bank to build a commercial office building. The interest rate on the loan is 6.5% for the first four years. After four years, the interest rate jumps to 15% for the remaining 20 years of the loan. The interest expense is one of the major costs of this project and significantly affects the number of renters needed for the project to break even. In the prospectus, Edward has prominently reported that the break-even occupancy for the first four years is 65%. This is the amount of office space that must be leased to cover the interest and general upkeep costs during the first four years. The 65% break-even point is very low compared to similar projects and thus communicates a low risk to potential investors. Edward uses the 65% break-even rate as a major marketing tool in selling the limited partnership interests. Buried in the fine print of the prospectus is additional information that would allow an astute investor to determine that the break-even occupancy jumps to 95% after the fourth year when the interest rate on the loan increases to 15%. Edward believes prospective investors are adequately informed of the investment’s risk.

1. Is Edward behaving ethically? Explain your answer.

Part 2

The director of marketing for Starr Computer Co., Megan Hewitt, had the following discussion with the company controller, Cam Morley, on July 26 of the current year:

• Megan: Cam, it looks like I’m going to spend much less than indicated on my July budget.
• Cam: I’m glad to hear it.
• Megan: Well, I’m not so sure it’s good news. I’m concerned that the president will see that I’m under budget and reduce my budget in the future. The only reason that I look good is that we’ve delayed an advertising campaign. Once the campaign hits in September, I’m sure my actual expenditures will go up. You see, we are also having our sales convention in September. Having the advertising campaign and the convention at the same time is going to kill my September numbers.
• Cam: I don’t think that’s anything to worry about. We all expect some variation in actual spending month to month. What’s really important is staying within the budgeted targets for the year. Does that look as if it’s going to be a problem?
• Megan: I don’t think so, but just the same, I’d like to be on the safe side.
• Cam: What do you mean?
• Megan: Well, this is what I’d like to do. I want to pay the convention-related costs in advance this month. I’ll pay the hotel for room and convention space and purchase the airline tickets in advance. In this way, I can charge all these expenditures to July’s budget. This would cause my actual expenses to come close to budget for July. Moreover, when the big advertising campaign hits in September, I won’t have to worry about expenditures for the convention on my September budget as well. The convention costs will already be paid. Thus, my September expenses should be pretty close to budget.
• Cam: I can’t tell you when to make your convention purchases, but I’m not too sure that September items should be expensed in July’s budget.
• Megan: What’s the problem? It looks like “no harm, no foul” to me. I can’t see that there’s anything wrong with this—it’s just smart management.

1. How should Cam Morley respond to Megan Hewitt’s request to expense the advanced payments for convention-related costs against July’s budget?

Part 3

Cost Behavior:

Research an article from Baker College Online Library on Cost Behavior and discuss how it relates to the costs of products and services related to your company you like to run.

(Baker college library # 23504107367546)

Part 4

Teams are common in nearly every type of organization today; thus, finding appropriate ways to include team performance in the performance management process is important. As the HR Manager, how would you ensure that team performance is being evaluated in a fair and effective manner?

Part 5

Throughout this course, you have learned various aspects of performance effectiveness; including team collaboration, as you worked with your classmates in the group project. Discuss the top three elements that you can apply directly to your work/life now.

Each part should be 250-300 words each 

Present a 4 page blog introducing new HR students to the topic of competencies in HRM. Utilize one or more tables showing facts about competencies in HR and discuss what the table information means.

Refer to at least 3 valid sources to strengthen your writing. List them at the end of the blog.

Chapter 3 outlines what’s trending in Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO). Review the trends below. 

Write a 3-4 page paper on a protected characteristic that is protected under EEO laws and regulations. 

• Identify and explain the characteristic.
• How can unlawful employment discrimination affect your identified characteristic? Give examples.
• Share the legal protection to prevent bias and discrimination based on your characteristic.
• Research and identify how organizations have or can protect themselves

Paper Requirements:

• Write a 3-4 page double-spaced, 12 font, and APA formatted paper that addresses the questions above. 
• Do not use first person. This paper isn’t your opinion. Your paper is guided by your research. 
• The 3-4 pages is counted from the introduction through the conclusion. It does not include the title page or reference page.
• Include a title page properly formatted in APA. 
• You Do NOT need to include an abstract
• Make sure to include an Introduction to your paper. Your introduction needs to include a strong preview sentence. 
• Create headings in the body of the paper (between the Introduction and Conclusion) that are named based on the content in that section of the paper. For example, your headings could be the trends you identified. Please review the APA Heading Format Guidelines (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Links to an external site.) in order to develop a good understanding of how to format the headings in your paper.
• Include a Reference page. You must include a minimum of 5 references (textbook and 4 scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles from Welder Library E-Resources). 

Please refer to the rubric for the grading requirements.    

Your submission will go through turnitin. Turnitin evaluates the originality score of your paper. Your turnitin score should be 25% or less. 

Option #1: Labor Relations

Though union influence has diminished over the past years, they still are a force in some industries such as domestic auto production and public-sector employment. Therefore, a key factor in understanding human resource management is to effectively create and manage a strategy to develop a positive working relationship with labor unions, both their representatives and their members. Given this background, compose a paper that addresses the following:

• Briefly describe the nature and scope of today’s union and its members, including—among other demographic variables—their average age, educational level, and type of industry/professional.
• Describe the role and function of a union in today’s industrial landscape.
• Craft a five-point plan that a human resource professional should follow/adapt in order to create a positive, conducive, and mutually rewarding relationship between unions and organizations. Be sure to discuss the impediments to this relationship and how one can overcome those impediments.

Your paper should be:

• 5-7 pages in length APA format

Instructions

This assessment addresses the following course objective(s):

• Examine theories of effective business responses to innovation across disciplines.
• Assess methods and tools that guide innovation approaches within business organization strategies.

From your experience or research identify a business process that you would classify as true innovation. Discuss the background of this business process and its context within overall organizational activities. Describe how innovation in the business process drives greater efficiency, service, and/or profitability. Provide a process map of the process and use this visualization as a talking point on the benefits of the innovation. Your paper should be three pages and provide references in APA format to the specific process you are describing.

HRIS Investments 

Part A (Chapter 7) 

1.  Imagine a vendor responded to your request for a HRIS proposal. What  are the indirect/direct costs and benefits of the HRIS? What is the cost  of implementation (include dollar estimates)? Does the cost justify the  HRIS investment? Explain. 

Part B (Chapter 8) 

2.  Does your organization utilize self-service portals? How do you use  self-service portals? If you do not have experience using self-service  portals, which portals would you recommend for your organization and why  would you recommend those portals? What are some laws that govern HR  Administration? What are some current or past examples of the impact of  violating these laws? 

NOTE: MORE THAN ONE ANSWER POSTED CHOOSE ANY

In your opinion, what benefits are of greatest value to employees? To the organization? Why?

TWO ASSIGNMENTS – APA FORMAT- EACH SHOULD BE ATTACHED AS THEIR OWN DOCUMENT – SO THERE SHOULD BE 2 DOCUMENTS – EACH ASSIGNMENT SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 FULL PAGE

Unit 4.1 – Training and Development of Human Capital

What should the goals of an orientation program be?

Unit 5.1 – Performance Management Systems

Why do Companies use performance appraisals?

What are some common performance issues with employees?  What is  Human Resource Managements role in handling these issues?