Session 3&4
Recruiting, Selection and Job Design
Article: Hiring Without Firing (HBS 5351) Group 1 Reading: Control in an Age of Empowerment (HBR 3545) Reading: Strategic Human Resources: Frameworks for General Managers (Barons & Kreps pp.29-33) Case: Microsoft: Competing on Talent (A, B) (HBS 9-300-001, 9-301-135)
Is Microsoft’s ability to attract and retain superior talent is the source of its competitive advantage? How did Microsoft formalize the informal practices that emerged during the 1980s? Are the changes in HR practices sufficient to address the new challenges Microsoft faces?
Microsoft: Competing on Talent (A) Questions • Send email to
[email protected] and
[email protected] by 8AM Wednesday (10/22) • Subject line on the email should be: 290T Homework #8 • Simply include answers as plain text in email, make sure your name is in the email • Please use bullets and phrases, but be prepared to articulate and defend your answer well 1. Why did so many people want to join Microsoft? Why do many still want to join Microsoft? 2. As of the Summer of 1999, does Microsoft have a problem? Is the senior management turnover inevitable? What recommendations would you make to Gates and Ballmer? 3. The case discusses the use of stock options as "the forward-looking element of our [Microsoft's] compensation package". However, on July 8, 2003, Microsoft announced they will stop compensating employees with stock options and use restricted stock instead (see http://www.businessweek.com:/print/magazine/content/03_29/b384204 3.htm?tc). How will this impact their ability to recruit, motivate, and retain superior employees? 4. In 5 bullets describe the perfect TV remote control. Microsoft: Competing on Talent
1) 2)
3)
Bill Gates believes that Microsoft’s ability to attract, motivate, and retain superior people is its source of competitive advantage. Do you agree or disagree? Why? How effective are Microsoft’s human resource policies and practices? Have the informal processes of the 1980’s been appropriately adapted to the company’s growth during the 1990s? What do you think of Ballmer’s recent changes to Microsoft’s human resource policies and practices? Why did he make these changes? As of mid-1999 does Microsoft have a problem? Is the rising senior management turnover a problem? Is it inevitable? Is it manageable? What recommendations would you make to Ballmer and Gates?
Feb 15 Case: “Microsoft: Competing on Talent” (HBS 9-300-001) Questions: 1. Bill Gates believes that Microsoft’s ability to attract, motivate, and retain superior people is its core source of competitive advantage. Do you agree? Why or why not? 2. How effective are Microsoft’s HR policies? What do you think of Ballmer’s recent changes? 3. What recommendations would you make to Ballmer? Personnel Economics & Economics of Human Resources Bus Adm 443 Lec 003 & Econ 448 Lec 001 Case Memo Questions – Microsoft: Competing on Talent (A) Due September 16th Background/Directions: The Microsoft case describes the development of Microsoft’s human resource policies and practices as the company grew through the 1980s, and their adaptation and formalization as the company grew to become a much larger, more complex organization in the 1990s. We will use the case as an example of one company’s recruiting and selection policies as well as an introduction to compensation policies. Consider the following questions when writing your case memo. You should write the memo as an actual business memo, from an outside consultant or protagonist to the CEO or a protagonist in the case. Your memo should be no more than two single spaced pages. 1) Bill Gates believes that Microsoft’s ability to attract, motivate and retain superior people is its core source of competitive advantage. Do you agree? Why or why not? 2) How effective are Microsoft’s human resource policies and practices? Have the informal processes of the 1980s been appropriately adapted to the company’s growth through the 19902? What do you think of Ballmer’s recent changes to Microsoft’s human resource policies and practices? 3) As of mid-1999, does Microsoft have a problem? Is the rising senior management turnover inevitable? Is it manageable? What recommendations would you make to Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates?
Session 23
Attraction, Satisfaction, and Retention of Talent Case: Microsoft: Competing on Talent (A) (#9-300-001) Be prepared to address the following questions: 1. Bill Gates believes that Microsoft's ability to attract, motivate, and retain superior people is its core source of competitive advantage. Do you agree? Why or why not? 2. How effective are Microsoft's human resource policies and practices? Have the informal processes of the 1980s been appropriately adapted to the company's growth through the 1990s? What do you think of Ballmer's recent changes to Microsoft's human resource policies and practices? 3. As of mid-1999, does Microsoft have a problem? Is the rising senior management turnover inevitable? Is it manageable? What recommendations would you make to Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates?
