Developing a Performance Management System at the Community Outreach Agency: A Case study.(Instructor's Note)

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 plays 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. INSTRUCTORS' NOTES Recommendation for a General Teaching Approach This case has been successfully used to specifically reinforce the performance management function for senior level management and human resource management students. This case forces the student to explore all aspects of performance management including potential problems, development, implementation, and requirements for long term effectiveness. A general instruction approach includes a thorough discussion of performance management, performance appraisals, job analysis, and job descriptions. A review of the tasks of strategic management and the management process would also be appropriate. This review and discussion should take approximately two in-class hours. The case instructs students to develop a comprehensive report based upon information in the case. Individual instructors may require each student to submit a written report or he/she may prefer to require teams of students to make formal presentations as if presenting to the board of directors of the firm. Reports would be graded primarily for content with specific attention being paid to students' ability to address both strategic and operational issues while effectively describing a performance system for the organization. If instructors decide to make the case a team presentation assignment, grading could also include an oral communication skills and/or a teamwork component. A general in-class discussion of the case may be appropriate after assignments are submitted or presented. The instructor may choose to highlight specific items from the case that offer significant concerns or challenges and ask students to identify the actions to address these items. THE REPORT Students are asked to develop a comprehensive report to present to the board of directors that describes a proposed performance management system for the agency. Students are instructed to address both strategic and operational issues. Strategic issues Students should recognize the strategic nature of performance management. …