Employee Selection: Decision Making Exercise Learning objectives: Increase familiarity with the tools used in assessing job candidates Practice combining multiple pieces of information to make a single decision Rationale: Selection decisions are seldom a matter of simply choosing an individual based on a single piece of information. Instead, final choices require managers to combine multiple pieces of information, including work experience, personality and ability test scores, and interviews. The current assignment is designed to give you a sense of this hiring process in the context of a promotion opportunity in a large Hardware/Software manufacturing organization Scenario Conerd Inc. is a large company (I'm surprised you've never heard of them) which employs 120,000 people in several different divisions including hardware design, the research and development of software, and engineering. The company has an opening in their R&D division for an Associate Manager for Product Development. This position requires a combination of knowledge of most programming languages, the capabilities and requirements of Mac, Windows, and other operating systems, as well as the needs and preferences of the software market. Although this information is related, it is not common to find someone who has deep expertise in all three. Typically, experts in programming are trained in Java, C+, C++, etc., and understand how to right code with any language and for all operating systems; experts on operating systems are trained in all operating systems, the current versions as well as older ones, and understand the maximum capabilities of each and experts in the software market are trained in business and understand how to market new products, Gonerd Inc does not currently have an established methodology for filling these job openings. There is a history of using promotion from within, to provide incentives to lower level employees and also preserve the company's culture. On the other hand, the company has grown relatively rapidly requiring many external hires. These new employees have brought fresh insight to many organizational problems. Assignment 1 Report on your hiring preferences, with a rank order of the top four choices for the Associate Manager for Product Development in R&D 2 List what information you used in arriving at this decision so that it is clear why some candidates were ranked higher than others 3. Describo additional information that you would like to have prior to making a final decision Exhibit 1 Associate Manager for Product Development The Associate Manager for Product Development works with the new product development team to determine ongoing demands for new products in the software market, facilitating basic research into programming and various driver technologies, and determining the overall market for new programs. Eventually, the Associate Manager will also work with the marketing team to help bring new products to consumers. The individual who takes this job must have some basic knowledge of programming, operating system characteristics, and marketing with strong knowledge of at least one of these topics. This job requires very extensive work with others from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. Because of the competitive nature of the marketplaco, long hours and high stress tolerance are critical. Typical work activities for Associate Managers include: 1. Maintaining budgets related to new product development 2 Developing schedules for multiple projects 3 Conducting market research on consumer demand for new software 4. Acquiring copyrights and trademarks for logos, characters, names, etc. 5. Reading and interpreting technical reports on programers' progress 6. Conducting fossibility studies for the cost of developing software/technology adates, fixes and improvements, choose Check for Updates. Check 18 b. C e. 12 7. pntacting consumer agencies during the research process to describe findings 8. Coordinating beta tests with consumers and other researchers 9. Coordinating new product marketing with advertising and marketing teams Exhibit 2. Background Information on the candidates. 1. Max Payne a. Age 25 Education: BA in Mathematics and B.S. in Computer Science from UCLA Current employer: Bungie d. Company tenure: 4 years Tenure in position: 2 years 1. Current job title: Assistant Director of Software Development 9 References/work history: Payne is currently pursuing an MBA from UCLA in an effort to move to a more managerial track. However, his highly motivated personality occasionally causes conflicts with his coworkers. 2 Samantha Fisher a. Age 38 b. Education: B.S. in Computer Engineering and M. S. in Computer Science from MIT Current employer: Microsoft d. Company tenure: 11 years Tenure in position: 1 year Current job title: Senior research manager 9 References/work history: Fisher's recent promotion was due to her outstanding research on driver technology. The reason she was not promoted sooner was due to her low scoring in certain areas of her personality odo 3. Caesar Caspara a Age 49 b. Education: B.S. in Marketing from University of Michigan, MBA from Stanford Current employer: Gonerd Inc. Company tonure: 20 years Tenure in position: 9 years Current job title: Associate Software Developer 9 References work history: History of good performance appraisals. Eight years ago, Casparu suffered tom minor depression and an eating disorder was granted two months leave at haif salary. No relaosas OOOT Check HA Unter Updates LITER 120 31 4. Deirdre Skye a Age 30 b. Education: BA in Computer Science and B.S. in Mass Communications from New York University current employer. Gonerd Inc. d. Company tenure: 6 years Tenure in position: 6 years 1 Current job title: Marketing Manager for New Products team References work history. Seeking a vertical transfer that will allow her to expand her skills in product development e. 9 5. Sid Meier a Age 45 b Education: B.S. in Computer Information Science, University of Miami Current employer. Dark Horse Games d Company tenure: 20 years Tenure in position: 5 years t Current job title: Vice president for Product Development PAPP Reference work History: One of the founders of a small computer gaming company called Dark Horse Games. Meier supervised development of several success RPGs as well as a few first person shooter 35 games now in the beta test stage. 6. Michael Lambert a. Age 56 b. Education: B.S. in Computer Engineering and MBA from Berkley C Current employer: Gonard Inc. d Company tenure: 25 years Tenure in position: 7 years f Current job title: Senior Software Development Engineer 9 References work history. Consistently positive performance evaluations. Lambert recently earned his MBA In the hope that he would be promoted to a more managerial position 7. Mikail Zakarov a. Age 52 b. Education: B.A. in Computer Science and M.S. in Computer Engineering from Caltech Current employer: Gonerd Inc d. Company tenure: 23 years Tenure in position: 7 years f Current job title. Senior Software Architect 9 References work history: Has produced exemplary work in programming and software construction while with Gonerd. Has requested several times to be transferred to a position involving more market interaction, ating his personality scores, but has been denied on the basis that he has no formal training in that area. 8. Sam Shepherd a. Age 33 b Education: B.A. in Marketing and BA in Computer Science from the University of Florida Current employer. Dark Horse Games d Company tonure: 5 years Tenure in position. 2 years t Current job title: Assistant Director of Development, New Products division g. References work history in his brief time with the company, Shepherd has consistently shown superior knowledge of and reaction to market trends, giving Dark Horse the occasional edge on much larger competitors C. Soms on employee wilability exame Wonderis Person Extroversion Job knowledge Payne, Max 38 35 90% Fher, Soranth 34 10 815 2 725 Sige Derde 30 35 85 Med 21 X Lambert Vida 30 14 31 128 Shandom 30 911 The Wodogte for the workplace and scored on 180 answeveral population of 20 The extroversion orange from 140, whose pain or for the 22 The job indgelessed one on the overall son employee Interviews Manager View And Me A Manager Dermer Rebrer Ruth M 20 23 Cha 31 20 3 34 31 12 25 21 Me 35 2 N 24 31 T 24 24 Sephon. Som service oranged from 5.35 Top Four Cols T List what information you ving decisions that it is clear why some and higher than the Described in Informations that you would like to have to making a final decision 3 Employee Selection: Decision Making Exercise Learning objectives: Increase familiarity with the tools used in assessing job candidates Practice combining multiple pieces of information to make a single decision Rationale: Selection decisions are seldom a matter of simply choosing an individual based on a single piece of information. Instead, final choices require managers to combine multiple pieces of information, including work experience, personality and ability test scores, and interviews. The current assignment is designed to give you a sense of this hiring process in the context of a promotion opportunity in a large Hardware/Software manufacturing organization Scenario Conerd Inc. is a large company (I'm surprised you've never heard of them) which employs 120,000 people in several different divisions including hardware design, the research and development of software, and engineering. The company has an opening in their R&D division for an Associate Manager for Product Development. This position requires a combination of knowledge of most programming languages, the capabilities and requirements of Mac, Windows, and other operating systems, as well as the needs and preferences of the software market. Although this information is related, it is not common to find someone who has deep expertise in all three. Typically, experts in programming are trained in Java, C+, C++, etc., and understand how to right code with any language and for all operating systems; experts on operating systems are trained in all operating systems, the current versions as well as older ones, and understand the maximum capabilities of each and experts in the software market are trained in business and understand how to market new products, Gonerd Inc does not currently have an established methodology for filling these job openings. There is a history of using promotion from within, to provide incentives to lower level employees and also preserve the company's culture. On the other hand, the company has grown relatively rapidly requiring many external hires. These new employees have brought fresh insight to many organizational problems. Assignment 1 Report on your hiring preferences, with a rank order of the top four choices for the Associate Manager for Product Development in R&D 2 List what information you used in arriving at this decision so that it is clear why some candidates were ranked higher than others 3. Describo additional information that you would like to have prior to making a final decision Exhibit 1 Associate Manager for Product Development The Associate Manager for Product Development works with the new product development team to determine ongoing demands for new products in the software market, facilitating basic research into programming and various driver technologies, and determining the overall market for new programs. Eventually, the Associate Manager will also work with the marketing team to help bring new products to consumers. The individual who takes this job must have some basic knowledge of programming, operating system characteristics, and marketing with strong knowledge of at least one of these topics. This job requires very extensive work with others from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. Because of the competitive nature of the marketplaco, long hours and high stress tolerance are critical. Typical work activities for Associate Managers include: 1. Maintaining budgets related to new product development 2 Developing schedules for multiple projects 3 Conducting market research on consumer demand for new software 4. Acquiring copyrights and trademarks for logos, characters, names, etc. 5. Reading and interpreting technical reports on programers' progress 6. Conducting fossibility studies for the cost of developing software/technology adates, fixes and improvements, choose Check for Updates. Check 18 b. C e. 12 7. pntacting consumer agencies during the research process to describe findings 8. Coordinating beta tests with consumers and other researchers 9. Coordinating new product marketing with advertising and marketing teams Exhibit 2. Background Information on the candidates. 1. Max Payne a. Age 25 Education: BA in Mathematics and B.S. in Computer Science from UCLA Current employer: Bungie d. Company tenure: 4 years Tenure in position: 2 years 1. Current job title: Assistant Director of Software Development 9 References/work history: Payne is currently pursuing an MBA from UCLA in an effort to move to a more managerial track. However, his highly motivated personality occasionally causes conflicts with his coworkers. 2 Samantha Fisher a. Age 38 b. Education: B.S. in Computer Engineering and M. S. in Computer Science from MIT Current employer: Microsoft d. Company tenure: 11 years Tenure in position: 1 year Current job title: Senior research manager 9 References/work history: Fisher's recent promotion was due to her outstanding research on driver technology. The reason she was not promoted sooner was due to her low scoring in certain areas of her personality odo 3. Caesar Caspara a Age 49 b. Education: B.S. in Marketing from University of Michigan, MBA from Stanford Current employer: Gonerd Inc. Company tonure: 20 years Tenure in position: 9 years Current job title: Associate Software Developer 9 References work history: History of good performance appraisals. Eight years ago, Casparu suffered tom minor depression and an eating disorder was granted two months leave at haif salary. No relaosas OOOT Check HA Unter Updates LITER 120 31 4. Deirdre Skye a Age 30 b. Education: BA in Computer Science and B.S. in Mass Communications from New York University current employer. Gonerd Inc. d. Company tenure: 6 years Tenure in position: 6 years 1 Current job title: Marketing Manager for New Products team References work history. Seeking a vertical transfer that will allow her to expand her skills in product development e. 9 5. Sid Meier a Age 45 b Education: B.S. in Computer Information Science, University of Miami Current employer. Dark Horse Games d Company tenure: 20 years Tenure in position: 5 years t Current job title: Vice president for Product Development PAPP Reference work History: One of the founders of a small computer gaming company called Dark Horse Games. Meier supervised development of several success RPGs as well as a few first person shooter 35 games now in the beta test stage. 6. Michael Lambert a. Age 56 b. Education: B.S. in Computer Engineering and MBA from Berkley C Current employer: Gonard Inc. d Company tenure: 25 years Tenure in position: 7 years f Current job title: Senior Software Development Engineer 9 References work history. Consistently positive performance evaluations. Lambert recently earned his MBA In the hope that he would be promoted to a more managerial position 7. Mikail Zakarov a. Age 52 b. Education: B.A. in Computer Science and M.S. in Computer Engineering from Caltech Current employer: Gonerd Inc d. Company tenure: 23 years Tenure in position: 7 years f Current job title. Senior Software Architect 9 References work history: Has produced exemplary work in programming and software construction while with Gonerd. Has requested several times to be transferred to a position involving more market interaction, ating his personality scores, but has been denied on the basis that he has no formal training in that area. 8. Sam Shepherd a. Age 33 b Education: B.A. in Marketing and BA in Computer Science from the University of Florida Current employer. Dark Horse Games d Company tonure: 5 years Tenure in position. 2 years t Current job title: Assistant Director of Development, New Products division g. References work history in his brief time with the company, Shepherd has consistently shown superior knowledge of and reaction to market trends, giving Dark Horse the occasional edge on much larger competitors C. Soms on employee wilability exame Wonderis Person Extroversion Job knowledge Payne, Max 38 35 90% Fher, Soranth 34 10 815 2 725 Sige Derde 30 35 85 Med 21 X Lambert Vida 30 14 31 128 Shandom 30 911 The Wodogte for the workplace and scored on 180 answeveral population of 20 The extroversion orange from 140, whose pain or for the 22 The job indgelessed one on the overall son employee Interviews Manager View And Me A Manager Dermer Rebrer Ruth M 20 23 Cha 31 20 3 34 31 12 25 21 Me 35 2 N 24 31 T 24 24 Sephon. Som service oranged from 5.35 Top Four Cols T List what information you ving decisions that it is clear why some and higher than the Described in Informations that you would like to have to making a final decision 3