1. How do the innovation ideas described here support the creation and maintenance of a high-performance work system? What element(s) of a high-performance work system do these efforts relate to?
2. Describe one or two areas in which human resource management has benefited from recent innovations. Why is it important for HR professionals to be innovative in their field?

MasterCard a Webcast of PowerPoint slides and short videos on various directions the company could take once the U.S. economy turns up again. The online presentations findings from seven members of an internal, international scenario-planning “task force,” which has been gathering ideas for months from MasterCard employees at all levels around the world.
In the recent past, such a production would have been reserved for senior management. But this Webcast will be open to all 5,500 employees of the credit card giant, from fresh-faced interns up to its 58-year-old chief executive, Robert Selander. The aim: invite anyone with an idea for new products, services, or internal processes to speak up, and encourage staff members to “bring their best selves to work” during the downturn, says Rebecca Ray, senior vice president of MasterCard’s Global Talent Management and Development Department.