Review the SHRM case study linked in Week $1.$ Identify if and where in the case each step in the training needs assessment process occurred. Were any steps missing? Explain DrugCureAll $($DCA$)$ is a pharmaceutical company headquartered on the East coast of the United States. DCA researches, develops, manufactures and sells pharmacological remedies and treatments for individuals with diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, arthritis and AIDS. Operating globally, DCA reported $$1$ billion in net

income last year and employs $20,000$ workers. To be socially responsible in the

industry, DCA makes a concerted effort to ensure its drugs are available to those in

low income categories.

DCA hosts a research and development $($R&D$)$ unit at corporate headquarters, as

well as departmental personnel in marketing, sales, finance, information systems,

legal, risk management, accounting, public relations and human resources. DCA

also has a manufacturing facility. DCA$$s business strategy is a differentiation

strategy based on quality and customer responsiveness. In other words, DCA tries

to distinguish itself from other competitors in the pharmaceutical industry by

accepting no less than top quality output from every employee in making and selling

its products and by making its products as readily available in the marketplace as

possible. While the company$$s R&D costs are notably excessive, which in turn affects product costs, DCA tries to be sensitive to elderly, sick and low$-$income patients who

need assistance purchasing the company$$s products.

The Situation and Key Issues

Consistent with its business strategy, DCA recruits the brightest students from top

schools across the United States to fill its positions. DCA expects high performance

and rewards employees slightly ahead of the market. DCA chooses to develop

professional$-$level employees with frequent job rotations throughout the corporate

staff to ensure that high$-$potential employees are well$-$rounded and understand all

parts of the business en route to management positions.

In particular, for its finance and accounting positions, DCA hires top graduates

from business and liberal arts programs across the country. DCA believes that bright

people achieve results regardless of their training, and they value diverse perspectives

in decision making. As a result, a new hire in accounting may have been a psychology

major at an Ivy League school or a finance major from a top Midwest business

school. DCA has seen both types of individuals contribute, exhibit high performance

and achieve promotions in the organization.

Recently, some managers in the accounting department at corporate headquarters

have complained to HR and the training staff about new accounting hires who

appear to take longer than usual to get up to speed in their jobs. The managers say

that most of the new accounting hires are lost when it comes to the organizational

hierarchy: who is affected by their work; who should be copied on their reports and

memos; and how all the separate areas relate to each other. Moreover, managers

claim that while some new hires are mathematically sharp, others struggle with

quantitative accounting problems. In addition, some new hires have great computer

skills while others take longer to get familiarized with the basics $($e$.$g$.,$ in Excel, the

real$-$time general ledger system$).$ Managers do report that almost all of the new

accounting hires are very good presenters, articulate and possess sufficient writing

and business etiquette skills.

In the most recent corporate staff meeting, the accounting director, Jill Styles,

turned to the HR director, Pedro Warren, asking: $$Please create a training program

to get our new hires in accounting up to speed. We want them to hit the ground

running, and we need your help! Let$$s call it the New Accounting Analyst Training Program.$$ Pedro promises to investigate the situation and get back to all corporate

staff members at next quarter$$s meeting