Table of Content 1. Assumption of our company.....................................................................................................................P.1 1.1 The size of company.............................................................................................................................P.1 1.1.1 Organization Structure................................................................................................................P.1 1.1.

2 Our Management Attitude.........................................................................................................P.1 1.2 Our major products which want to trade to China market.............................................................P.1 2. The external factors what we need to concern........................................................................................P.2

(i) Muffler Magic (MM) background...........................................................................................................P.5 (ii) Business characteristics...........................................................................................................................P.5 (iii) Human Resources Functions in MM....................................................................................................P.5 (iv) Recommendations of recruiting, selection and training role to HR manager...................................P.5

2b. Develop a 10 questions structured interview for Ron Browns service center managers can use to interview experienced technicians.

10 questions for interviewer..........................................................................................................................P.6

2c. If you were Ron Brown, would you implement the professors recommendation addressing the presenteeism problem, in other words start paying for sick days? Why or why not?

View point of this suggestion and the explanation......................................................................................P.6

2d. If you were advising Ron Brown, would you recommend that he implement the professors skillbase pay and incentive pay plan as is? Why? Would you implement it with modifications? If you would modify it, please be specific about what you think those modifications should be, and why?

View point of this suggestion and the explanation...................................................................................P.6,7

(1) Introduction of Performance Appraisal Definition William and Barry (2007) introduced performance appraisal definition and history that, a hundred years ago, a merit rating system in the federal Civil Service Commissions in America. Further, a performance appraisal was introduced by Lord & Taylor in 1914. At the earliest of 20th century, numerous companies were basis of Frederick Tayloys scientific managementto build up their performance appraisals . At a later time, Peter Druckers brings up an innovation idea of Management by Objectives (MBO) and a Theory X and Theory Y concept also introduced by Douglas McGregors in 1950s. Nowadays, an organization usually assigns the manager to prepare a systematic assessment for employees performance which called performance appraisal, in normally procedure, the management has to fill out a form of assessment for appraises each staff performance once a year but not only as an yearly activities in companies. Performance assessment functions on organization achieve various purposes, such as institute the employee development and promote paths, encourage working motivation by manager feedback, execution organization reformation, identification of training needs, set up and measure goals, recognition of organization problems and ensure assign appropriate working task. In summary, performance appraisal can evaluate an employees past or present performance relative to an organization performance standard. 1.1 Discuss he performance appraisal tools (a) Graphic Rating Scales It is an antique and most widely used method, traditionally, a scale range can list traits and performance values, for example, from numeric 1 to 100, it can determine the respondent score by measure the length from numeric 1 to the spot marked by respondent. For example:-

This is simple to use also can provides a quantitative data for every employees. But oppositely, it cannot provide a standard answer for evaluation. (William & Barry, 2007) P.1 (b) Alternation Ranking Method This method can list out ranking employees from the best to worst level on a particular trait; evaluator can specify who outstanding and unsatisfactory employee is. For Example:

It can be avoided problem with simple to use; otherwise it can cause disputation between employee and manager whereas it is not exactly fair because of probably include individual perception in rater mind. (c) Paired Comparison Method William & Barry (2007) provided an example to explain the paired comparison method as following diagram:-

Refer to above example, paired comparison can use in case for evaluate each employee is paired with each other employee to be compared simultaneously. It is also consents the rater to compare every job with another jobs evaluation based on a job ranking method. Further, the rater will basis on the number of score what received from employee to evaluate who is the better performing subordinate. This is easy to ranking objects with esteem to few employee if only has a few persons, however the rater probably turn into exhausted and cannot distinguish between all employees if the persons increase. (d) Forced Distribution Method As William & Barry indicate (2007), forced distribution is the method similar to grading on a bell

curve. The rater is asked to rate the employees in some fixed distribution of categories, such as marginal, average, qualified, superior and excellent. P.2 For Example:

For subject, it can balance a distribution of the rating of performance appraisal in statistically; moreover, rater can make comparison of employees performance with the same position for set up their salary range if running pay-for-performance system in organization. But oppositely, it has no standard criteria for rater to score with difficult to make employee comparability, because it affected by the job nature whether sufficiently similar in same criteria and relies on raters knowledge and perception. (e) Critical Incident Method (CIM) As Marrelli (1990) point out, CIM is used for record employee performance was obviously different from the standard either commendable or imperfect whenever specific events and incident occurs. It will record in unofficial note that included date, facts and details about the incident by manager and it will be reviewed at prearranged period. Certainly, it is easier to collect the data in usual as it provide spectacular demonstrations of the impact of deeds, thus employees are interest to provide a report with their work experiences as they feel that their experiences are being heard and deemed important. But it includes the personalitys perceptions, reminiscence, sincerity and biases in report, therefore the data probably not accurate, also it can be prolonged to summarize and analyze the data. (f) Narrative Forms Narrative Form can define as a simple or complex text datum told from one person to another. To put in human resources purpose, manager is requested to appraise employee performance basis on their skills, in general, manager will record the critical planning and examples in order to discuss with employees about the performance. In a result, subordinate in particular spaces understand their day-to-day practices and performance as well as make subjective judgements; however it cannot define as a final result of appraisal.

P.3 (g) Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) As Rarick and Baxter indicate (1986), employee behaviors change will be focused on appraisal by BARS which use critical incidents and graphic rating scale. It can be affixed by a description of important job behaviors of good and bad performance. Certainly, BARS has a clear standard for precise the measurement, and it often easier to get a better performance feedback and uniformity from employees. However, it leads both of manager and subordinates will become more concerned with event performance than achieve the final objective. (h) Management by Objectives (MBO) As Thomas (1982) said MBO is for manager establish specific quantifiable objective with subordinate for the recent or future planning, in addition discuss their progress in the direction of these objective. And it has six steps are included, firstly, organization objective setting, secondly and thirdly, departmental objective setting as well as discuss and allocate goals, fourthly, identify predictable individual results, fifthly, appraise and evaluate the performance and results, and the last feedback to subordinate by manager It has advantage that manager can verify subordinate performance based on actual outcomes during critical activities. But on the other hand, practically achievement is difficult to point out by unrealistic expectations. (i) Computerized and Web-Based Performance Appraisal In 22th century, computerize and internet access are necessary for appraisal process in each rapid growth organization. Whereas technology can update the appraisal process by new software programs in efficiently, it is advantage to facilitate employees to check personal performance in internet system at any time, moreover, all data are disclose without any conceal. (j) Merging the Methods For the performance appraisal that can combine two or more methods as a tool, such as graphic rating scales merge with behavioral frequency scale. As Dick Grate (1996) said that each team member of appraiser has different opinion on performance appraisal, also every performance appraisal rating form compel the rater to make an absolute judgement about the subordinate even their performance was positive or negative, thus, appraiser feel that is forces to pining a judgmental label on the employee. Therefore, asked the appraiser to use a behavioral frequency scale to indicate how often the

appraisee performed in the way that we had descried instead of one way performance appraisal. P.4 2a. (i) Muffler Magic (MM) background Muffler Magic was established at 1990 By Mr. Ronald Brown. It is fast growing to 25 automobile service centre in Nevada on the strength of Ronald exertions. Managerially, Muffler Magic has 300 employees superintended by 8 top managements whom including Mr. Brown as president, a purchasing director, a controller, a marketing director, a human resources manager and three regional managers, and then eight and nine service centre manager are superior by the regional manager. Essentially, every type of service from tires to mufflers and engine repair all mainly business core in Muffler Magic. (ii) Business Characteristics As a matter of fact auto service is a durable but competitive business. It is mainly rely on the quality of the service people hires and retains, productivity of employees, also huge expense of labor cost. (iii) Human Resources Functions in MM HR only has basic system in Muffler Magic, for example a application form only modified from internet downloaded format by HR manager, and some of employee status change request forms, signon forms, 1-9 forms and all that purchased from a human resource management supply house. In general, a firm only assign the service centre manager make a interview with merely ask the basic behavioral question to interviewee, however it lose to consider the hire factor that are experiences and skills, therefore HR usually have to entirely training on the job to technicians. (iv) Recommendations of recruiting, selection and training role to HR manager Typically, HR department has indispensable functions in organization, however we can see that HR department only support and offer a simple functions in MM, therefore, below recommendation probably can improve the role of HR department in MM:Recruiting and selection HR Manager has to involve all interview activities and design a new procedure of interview from now on, for example set up 3 parts of interview, first part will be handled by HR manager and ask for basic question to candidate, second part will be handled by service centre manager with asking some technical and an actual combat question as well as case study, and final part can be handled by regional manager in order to make a final decision and evaluation to employ a appropriate employees. It can prevent to employ an unqualified and inexperience candidate if implementing this action. Training when detected technicians inexperienced and untrained, HR manager need to arrange on-job training or further thorough training at day off time to employees, for example arrange the repair case study lecture, provide a theory of technical lecture to them and so on, in order to control the quality standard as well as decrease the REWORK rate.

P.5 2b. 10 questions for interviewer (1) Are you subject in a curriculum related to mechanical and engineering scope? (2) Please introduction of your job natures and duties at previous career. (3) Do you have any on-job training for auto service before? (4) If you confronting a car problem of no brake power at all, how do you repair it? How can you define the actual technical problems when you maintenance? (5) Which kind of tools you use for verify the technical problems? (6) When Rework happened whereas your fault during previous maintenance, what will you do to compensate this customer? (7) How can you prevent Rework happen in the future? (8) Please indicate how to rotating rires, fixing brake pad and replacing mufflers. (9) Please list out your advantage(s) why you can accomplish this job. 2c. View point of recommendation of sick leave in paid and the explanation Currently, MM are confronting critical problems, which includes the efficient technicians is easier to find another job which pay higher than existing job in competitor company; and the problem of safety that has hidden dangerous when employees operating with sharp tools, greasy floors and tools, tremendously hot temperatures on mufflers and engines as well as fast-moving engine parts including fan blades.
To be directed against above encountered problem, professor recommend to accept 3 days sick leave

with paid per year to prevent presenteeism happen; typically, technicians only has half productivity with half working time when they sickness, then technicians cannot concentrate to work and handle incident, therefore, quality unsteady and safety problems such as technicians get hurt by hot temperature will probably happen, for both, it leads company lose money and reputation, also will confront a lawsuit when industry incident happened. Thus, I agreed implementing to pay in sick leave. 2d. View point of recommendation of Skill-base pay and incentive pay plan and the explanation For control the problems of defective quality leads rework, professor recommended a planning of skill-base pay which based on letter grade from A ~ E level which relied on that technicians specific technique and proficiency; it has define a grading level and relevant hourly wage as following drawing:-

To be of the opinion that I agreed to implement the Skill-base pay in MM, as supervisor can assign a

appropriate job based on the grading of A ~ E of each technician, secondly, it can control the expense of labor cost to fulfill the economic benefits. However, employees probably feel that are not fair if they are not in same labor wage, as they will think that involve interpretations as well as difficult to define

a level standard obviously.

P.6 In order to facilitate the productivity running in high rate, professor recommended service centre manager compute daily and weekly running productivity to each technician team as well as notifying the productivity result and manager comments in workplace, afterwards, manager can provide the weekly cash bonuses based on that group productivity accomplishment. For example of the productivity calculation, divide total labor hours by total labor wages of each technicians, and total labor wages of all technicians divide by total labor wages of each technicians.
Example of calculation:-

As a result, I agreed to use incentive programme in MM as it can increase motivation in department.

P.7 Reference (1)William G. Zikmund & Barry J. Babin. Essentials of marketing research, 2007, 3rd edition. Thomson South-Western. (2)Marrelli, A.F. Planning and conducting information systems evaluations, 1990. Los Angeles, CA: Country of Los Angeles (3)Rarick, C. A., & Baxter, G. Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS): An effective performance appraisal approach. 1986. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 51(1) 36-39, (4) Walter C. Borman, Behavior Based Rating, in Ronald A. Berk (ed.), 1986. Johns Hopkins University (5) Thomas H. Stone, Understanding Personnel Management, Dryden Press, 1982, Canada