Learning Activity 1 - Theme 1

In this article as well as your reading this week the balanced score card is explained:http://www.tutorialspoint.com/management_concepts/the_balanced_scorecard.htm.

One of the best tools a manager has is a balanced score card. Remember our bowling alley manager from week 5? Create a balance score card for him and explain how the use of a balance score card could help him to measure and possibly improve his problem. Be sure to address how the score card approach fits in to the control function of management. Be specific and attempt to think through the managers problem using the scorecard. How can it potentially fix the turn over problem he has in the branch?

(Just so you dont have to keep going back to week Six)

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 3 years. However, in your branch the average employee lasts only 8 months. Jill is concerned about this huge discrepancy and wants to know your explanation for the difference and what you can do to correct the problem. Training new employees is costly to the company and this high turnover is costing her money that could be better spent elsewhere.

Learning Activity 2- Theme2

Traditionally theorists suggest that the managerial function of controlling should not be confused with control in the behavioral or 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 managers role in taking necessary actions to ensure that the work-related activities of employees are consistent with and contributing toward the accomplishment of organizational and departmental objectives.

Research the idea of controlling from afar in the virtual organization on the Internet and answer the following question: How can a manager be assured or 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.