Mini Case

Talent ManagementChapter 1 – Mini Case
Prepared by: Randi Sims
Shark Consulting has a large client in the software industry. Revenue is down for this
client. They are asking for a new advertising plan to turn around the losses. You have
given this task to your best team. The team consists of 4 long standing members: Ana, Bob,
Carla, and Don. The team has worked together for nearly a decade, is a top performing
team, and has little if any direct supervision from management. As with many companies
following the Pandemic, the team members are all now working from home and meet via
zoom as needed. When you scheduled a meeting to go over the new assignment, only Ana
and Bob were in attendance. The others replied that they had time zone and family
conflicts and would catch up via email later with Ana and Bob. Ana and Bob seem fine with
this and said that they are used to meeting as only two with the others on email
exclusively.
Answer the following questions in full sentence format. Remember to use cited key terms,
definitions, and theories from your textbook in each answer. In paragraph citations (with
page numbers) and a formal reference are always expected.
1. Using Exhibits 1-1 and 1-4, describe the task focus and type of team autonomy for the
team.
2. What team problems do you foresee with the team being able to satisfy the client’s
need for a new advertising plan? Provide specific suggestions (based on your chapter 1
reading) to resolve the problems you describe.
Mini cases are individual work. Remember the purpose of the mini case is for the student
to demonstrate their learning of the chapter material. The required title page with the
certificate of authorship is always required (see modules for the example).
Students who are assigned to author/create the mini case, will not answer the case
questions , but they should submit a file (or type in the assignment box – not the
comments box) that they are one of the mini case authors so that they have access to
viewing their classmates’ posts for peer review.
Attached is a sample question and answer which is a good model for your work.
Sample question and answer for MC1
Q. Explain why this is a team instead of a working group.
According to Thompson (2018, p. 4), there are five characteristics that define a team. First, teams
must have a shared goal for which all team members share responsibility. In the mini case, the
team has a goal to develop a new advertising plan for the client. This goal is shared among all
team members, it is not an individual goal where each team member has his or her own
objectives to accomplish. Second, team members are interdependent. In a team, members rely on
each other for various resources. “There are several kinds of interdependencies, as team members
must rely on others for information, expertise, resources, and support” (Thompson, 2018, p. 4).
Although the mini case did not provide details for each of these types of interdependencies, the
case did say that Ana and Bob routinely shared information via email with Carla and Don. This
fits the information interdependency category. The mini case also suggested that Ana and Bob
were offering their support for Carla and Don and understood the work-family conflict because
of the pandemic and work from home schedule. This fits the support category of
interdependencies. A third defining characteristic of a team is boundedness – or identifiable
membership. The mini case introduces us to four team members, so we all know who is on the
team and clearly team members know who they work with. The fourth defining team
characteristic is stability. Stability means that team membership is relatively stable. This does not
mean that group membership can or does not change, it just means that there is enough member
stability for the team to accomplish their goal. The mini case stated that this team and these
members have been working together for nearly a decade. Nearly a decade is very stable. The
last and fifth characteristic that defines a team is “authority to manage their own work and
internal processes” (p. 4). The mini case explains that the team has organized their own work
processes via zoom and email and, after 10 years, clearly have been successful in their authority.
It seems clear that the mini case describes a team and not a working group. In a working group,
members are not interdependent and do not share responsibility for a common goal (Thompson,
2018, p. 5).
Reference
Thompson, L. L. (2018). Making the team: A guide for managers. Pearson.
View Rubric
Mini Case Summer
Mini Case Summer
Criteria
Turnitin
Report &
AI Report
Ratings
0 pts
No problems noted.
0 pts
Review is needed.
Q1
1.5 to >1.1 pts
Excellant
Overall a nice job on answer 1 to the mini case. Your ideas are good and I can see that you are applyin
have learned from the chapter readings to your answer to the prompt. Applying what you are learning
world situation is an important part of learning. It is easier for you to remember the material (for futu
related issues and for the quizzes) when you actually use the material.
1.1 to >0 pts
Good start
Your ideas are a good start. A bit more detail would help. There are lots of things going on in the story
ways for you to demonstrate your learning of the chapter material. Did you review the sample questio
answer under mini case 1? That is a good model to follow.
0 pts
Missing
I am sorry you did not get an opportunity to answer question 1 for the mini case. Applying what you a
to a real world situation is an important part of learning. It is easier for you to remember the material
work related issues and for the quizzes) when you actually use the material.
Q2
1.5 to >1.1 pts
Excellant
Overall a very nice job on answer 2 to the mini case. Your suggestions are good and I can see that you
applying what you have learned from the chapter readings to your answer to the prompt. Applying wh
learning to a real world situation is an important part of learning. It is easier for you to remember the
(for future work related issues and for the quizzes) when you actually use the material.
1.1 to >0 pts
Good start
Your suggestions are a good start. A bit more detail would help. There are lots of things going on in th
may ways for you to demonstrate your learning of the chapter material. Did you review the sample qu
answer under mini case 1? That is a good model to follow.
0 pts
Mini Case Summer
Mini Case Summer
Criteria
Ratings
Missing
I am sorry you did not get an opportunity to answer question 2 for the mini case. Applying what you a
to a real world situation is an important part of learning. It is easier for you to remember the material
work related issues and for the quizzes) when you actually use the material.
Cites with
page
numbers &
Reference
view
longer
description
Total Points: 0
2 to >1 pts
Well done.
Each question includes formal in paragraph citations with page numbers back to the chapter for both
paraphrased material and when directly quoting. Includes a formal reference back to cited material (y
book).
1 to >0 pts
Needs improvement
Citations, page numbers, and/or references are missing or incorrect. Review expectations for citing a
referencing one more time.
0 pts
Cites, page numbers, quote marks and/or reference missing.