Green Mountain Assignment

For Question #1 you are to redesign one camp position/job using the Hackman/Oldham Job Dimensions model. See the attached handout explaining each dimension.  You will describe the job duties and then identify each dimension by name and include actual activities that relate to that dimension and illustrate your understanding of that dimension.  For Question #2 you will be applying the need based theories of Maslow and Herzberg with specific examples that relate to the components of their theories.  Question #2 refers to the needs of the camp counselors and how the Randall’s can fulfill the needs listed in the theories.  Question #3 refers to the empowerment of the camp counselors and how it contributes to motivation and ultimately the camp’s success. 

Do not include the case in your response.  This should be submitted as a paper and please be certain to use correct grammar in complete sentences.  Paragraphs will be necessary to differentiate the multiple parts in each of the two case questions.  

Read the instructions and the case itself carefully.  At the end of the case you will find two questions with multiple parts and a third question with one part.

Book Reference:

Management Fundamentals 6e By: Thomas Bateman

BUSA 205 Management Fundamentals
Chapter 11 Case Study

Instructions: Read the following case study and prepare a typewritten double-spaced
response to the case questions. Be certain to answer all questions completely and
thoroughly in full sentences in applying concepts from the chapter.

Submit your answers in paragraph format using complete sentences. Be certain to use multiple paragraphs to
differentiate the various components of this assignment.
Include in text citations and a work cited page if using information from the textbook.

GREEN MOUNTAIN: IT’S MORE THAN A SUMMER JOB
Nick and Carol Randall had a dream for themselves and their two sons: to live at summer camp, re-creating their own memories
of swimming in a lake, hiking the mountains, and laughing around the campfire every evening. So, when Green Mountain Camp
in Vermont went up for sale, they scraped together their savings and bought the property and the business. Soon they learned why
the camp was for sale: the cabins were run down, the kitchen was below health standards, and the dock was falling into the lake.
But as they assessed the situation, adding up the repairs necessary to open for a summer session of school-age boys, they realized
they had an even more serious problem: a lack of employees. When they bought the camp, the previous owners were vague about
the commitment of camp staff from year to year; when the Randalls tried to contact both the camp chef and head counselor,
neither answered phone calls or e-mails.

Something was clearly wrong. Why weren’t the Green Mountain staff members motivated to return to work at the
camp? After they hired contractors to make the necessary physical repairs to the camp, the Randalls set about recruiting job
candidates—talking with them to learn what they needed and wanted in their jobs and how to motivate them not only to serve the
camp and its campers but also to stay. One way the Randalls decided to spread the word about the change in ownership was a
Web site. The new Web site included an introduction to the Randalls and an invitation to previous staffers to contact them. The
site offered job descriptions with meager benefits, but it promised a welcoming, positive atmosphere with opportunities for
forming new camp programs, social time, and more comfortable accommodations.

Inquiries from both past staff members and interested newcomers began to trickle in, as did registration applications
from campers themselves. Nick and Carol interviewed candidates to learn not only what their skills were but also what would
motivate them to commit themselves to the job for more than one summer. Candidates included school teachers, recent college
graduates, and even one retired businessman who just wanted to spend his summers outdoors teaching kids how to kayak and
sail. The Randalls hired him immediately, hoping to tap his business knowledge in addition to his outdoor skills. All the
candidates said they simply wanted to be treated fairly, given some freedom to make decisions on the spot that might benefit or
enrich the children, and be paid promptly. They were pleased to hear that the campground itself was under renovation. By late
June, the Randalls had filled all the staff positions and had only a few empty spots left for campers. As the first campers began to
arrive, the Randalls believed their dream of living at summer camp might really come true.

Questions

1. Using the Hackman/Oldham Job Enrichment Model core job dimensions, redesign a camp job that would incorporate
the core dimensions. Your response should employ the terms in the model (5 core job dimensions). You are to
redesign a camp staff job (e.g. chef, swimming instructor etc.) using these dimensions with an actual description
of the activity that fulfills each core dimension to create an enriched job. Each dimension should be its own
paragraph. You can use the questions found in the Hackman/Oldham Job Redesign Handout to help you
identify and define the activities related to each core dimension. (50 Points)

1. What needs might the Randalls be able to fill for camp staff? Your response should include a discussion of all
components of the need-based theories (Maslow & Herzberg) discussed in class and text and provide specific

examples of each higher and lower order need that the Randall’s realistically can provide for the camp staff. (40
Points)

1. In what ways might the empowerment of camp staff impact the success of the camp? Discuss what empowerment
means and how it would help the camp to empower their counselors. (10 Points)

BUSA 205 Management Fundamentals
Hackman and Oldham Job Characteristics Model

According to Hackman and Oldham, motivation in the workplace is associated with job content, while dissatisfaction
may be associated with job context factors. They believe jobs can be motivating in themselves if the proper job
content factors are a part of the job design. Hackman and Oldham judged the motivating potential of a job based on
five dimensions. The five dimensions are as follows with questions designed to identify the job content
factors:

SKILL VARIETY: Describe the different identifiable skills required to do a job. What is the nature of the of the oral,
written, and/or quantifiable skills needed? Any physical skills? Does the individual get the opportunity to use all their
skills? Varying your skills and talent can add to a more challenging job. (e.g. a teacher has high skill variety because
he/she may use oral, written, computer, organization skills etc.)

TASK IDENTITY: What is your work product? Are you involved in its production from beginning to end including
delivery? If not, are you involved in a particular phase of production from beginning to end? (e.g. a teacher may have
high task identity if they plan and create the lesson, then deliver the lesson to the class as they are involved from
beginning to end)

TASK SIGNIFICANCE: How important is your product (your contribution)? How important is your role in producing
it? How important is your job to the people you work with? If your job was eliminated would it affect your product?
(e.g. a teacher may have high task significance if he/she is the sole provider of the lesson (product) and a substitute
teacher could not provide the same lesson)

These three dimensions combined provide meaningfulness in the job.

AUTONOMY: How much independence do you have on your job? Do you have to follow a set schedule? If so, how
much can you control it? How much of your work is delegated to you to decide how to do it yourself? How closely are
you supervised? (e.g. a teacher may have to follow a set time schedule but may have freedom to determine what
lesson and how it will be taught there by experiencing some autonomy)

This dimension provides the opportunity to experience responsibility for outcomes.

FEEDBACK: What feedback systems are in place concerning your job? Do you get regular feedback from your job
itself on how you are doing? From your customers? From your peers or subordinates? From your supervisor? (e.g.
a teacher may receive feedback from students (their grades), from performance reviews etc.)

This dimension provides knowledge of the actual results of your efforts.

All of these dimensions lead to lower absenteeism and turnover, higher internal work motivation, greater satisfaction,
and high quality performance. Of course this is all predicated by the individual’s need for growth.