Case Study 
You have recently joined a chain of 5 pharmacies in suburban Adelaide, run by an owner who delegates management, in each, to the pharmacist-in-charge. Your first work experience for the chain is running a small pharmacy with just you and 3 pharmacy assistants: Amy is in her early twenties, and has been at that pharmacy for 4 months. It is her fifth job, having worked as a sales assistant in boutique clothing stores, and behind the bar in pubs. She enjoys setting up displays for catalogue promotions, and chatting with customers on the shop floor, but seems bored with the routine of assisting with the dispensary of scripts and managing stock. Her knowledge of pharmacy products seems quite limited, as she often asks the other assistants. Since the stores are open 7 days a week there needs to be some flexibility regarding availability, but Amy always has reasons to not work on Saturday and Sunday mornings. You also note she tends to chew gum while at work, and keeps going outside to have a smoke. Her uniform seems to often be unironed. In the time you have been there you note that she seems to have become bored and that she does not seem motivated to do anything much anymore. Her greatest joys are answering private phone calls on her smart-phone and going on Facebook in any spare time. You wonder why she was employed by the owner in the first place, only to be told that she is related to the owner's partner and he might have had "some pressure " put on him to employ her. However, you believe that she definitely has some strengths.

Beth is a few years older than Amy, and has worked in that pharmacy for 6 months. She has worked in 3 of the other pharmacies in the chain over the last 4 years, but has moved to this one since her rental home is only a few streets away. She and her partner both work, saving to buy a house. Beth is much more conscientious than Amy, but has low self-esteem and therefore lets Amy manipulate her into doing tasks that Amy does not like doing. Her performance is dropping over the time you have been there, but you believe she is a valuable asset with product knowledge, her caring nature and her high need for affiliation.

Carly is younger than Amy, but is only part-time whereas the others are full-time. She is just working for the money currently, as she is contemplating whether to enrol at university in 2014, or whether to go travelling. Currently she is living with her parents. Of the three you gather that Carly is the smartest, since she is quick to learn anything to do with the pharmacy and is coming up with creative suggestions. She is annoyed with Amy's behaviour and often will not talk to her if she can avoid it.

Attachment:- 560258_1_HINTS-FOR-WRITING-ASSIGNMENT-1sp5-1-.doc