Learning Activity #1 - Theme 1

In this article, as well as, your reading for this week the balanced scorecard is explained:

The Balanced Scorecard

http://www.tutorialspoint.com/management_concepts/the_balanced_scorecard.htm.

One of the best tools a manager has is a balanced scorecard. Remember, our bowling alley manager from week 6!
Address how the scorecard approach fits in to the control function of management.

Make a balanced scorecard and explain how the use of a balanced scorecard could help to measure and possibly improve the turnover of employees. The scorecard will include objectives, measures, and targets.

Just so you do not have to go back to week Six, here is the case scenario:

You are the manager of the northern branch of the Laurel City Bowling Alleys. The owner, Jill Espy, has 4 other bowling alleys around town. The average employee assigned to the concession stand of all the Laurel City Bowling Alleys lasts approximately 3 years. However, in your branch, the average employee lasts only 8 months. Jill is concerned about the lack of retention of concession employees especially since training new employees is costly to the company and this high turnover is costing her money that could be better spent elsewhere.
You have talked with your current concession staff and have learned that pay and scheduling may have some effect on the turnover rate. Employees feel that the pay is low and the scheduling is erratic making it difficult to make plans outside of work. You know that employees do not benefit from pay raises because they tend to leave before being at the alleys for a year.

One worker indicated that many of the workers do not know how to handle difficult customers. It makes them not want to come to work. At the time, the focus seems to be on getting the job done rather on customer service.

Learning Activity #2 - Theme 2

Traditionally, theorists suggest that the managerial function of controlling should not be confused with control in the behavioral or the manipulative sense. This function does not imply that managers should attempt to control or to manipulate the personalities, values, attitudes, or emotions of their employees. Instead, this function of management concerns the manager's role in taking necessary actions to ensure that the work-related activities of employees are consistent with and contribute toward the accomplishment of organizational and departmental objectives.

Research the concept of the virtual organization. Then, explain how can a manager measure work that is performed when the employee may be 5,000 miles away? Be sure to consider the virtual and global organizations and how a manager would control and measure work from afar.