The Primary Subject Matter Of This Case Concerns Developing Implementing And Making Operational: Human Resource Management And Development Report, NUI, Ireland

CASE DESCRIPTION

The primary subject matter of this case concerns developing, implementing, and making operational a performance management system at a small non-profit public agency. This includes the role that strategic management, the management process, and job analysis play in this process. The case depicts a mid-level manager’s attempt to design a performance management system to be used throughout the organization. This case has a difficulty level of four. It is designed to be taught in one class hour and is expected to take approximately three hours of student preparation time.

 CASE SYNOPSIS

 Students are provided with a management scenario describing top management’s request to develop and implement a system of performance management in the organization. Students are asked to review the scenario and develop and describe a system of performance management that will lead to enhancing long-term organizational effectiveness. Students should consider both operational and strategic issues, problems, and concerns associated with completing the assignment. To facilitate their analysis, students are provided with brief definitions/ explanations/descriptions of performance management, performance appraisal, job analysis, and job descriptions.

 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT CASE

 Anne Forrest is the director of the Lead Off program at the Community Outreach Agency (COA), a non-profit organization in a small southern town. The Community Outreach Agency is an umbrella organization that specializes in administering, leading, and managing a number of social programs including Lead Off. Depending on the specific program, funding is provided by federal, state, and/or local governments as well as by private donations. The essential purpose of the agency is to effectively manage the process of the delivery and utilization of funds to and by qualified recipients through the various Agency programs.

The Lead Off program is one of many administered by the Community Outreach Agency. Anne Forrest, as well as all other program directors, reports directly to the Executive Director of COA, Wilbur Jackson. Mr. Jackson has been at the Agency for ten years and reports directly to the Board of Directors, a five-member group consisting of local and area community leaders. Mr. Jackson personally selected three of the five board members.

Anne Forrest has been at the agency for three years, and she has managed the Lead Off program for the past year. Her job consists of leading, administering, and supervising all aspects of Lead Off. She received her undergraduate degree in management five years ago, but this is her first management position. While a college degree was not a specific requirement for the job, Anne feels that it played an instrumental role in her being selected to head the Lead Off program. Anne is the only Agency director with his/her degree, and Mr. Jackson has referred to this fact on a number of occasions—particularly when he has needed to assign someone to special projects beyond their director duties. Though Anne was proud of her degree, she often joked with herself that, at least for now, it just created a lot more work.