The Human Resources Frame Case

In the Module 2 Case, you will write Chapter 2 of your thesis-style paper – relating to the Human Resources Frame. Using specific examples of “human resources” or “human relations” as they are defined by Bolman and Deal, you will use the Human Resources Frame as a lens through which you will analyze the effectiveness of the Walt Disney Company.

Begin the Module 2 Case by visiting the Walt Disney Company website:

The Walt Disney Company. (2014). Retrieved on May 8, 2014 from http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/

Then, read the following:

So just how does Mickey make magic? The following article discusses how Disney’s excellent employee performance is recognized. Note the section entitled “Disney Recognition 101”:

Ligos, M. (2009). How Mickey makes magic. Successful Promotions, 42(5), 44-47. Retrieved from EBSCO – Business Source Complete.

Case Assignment

After you have reviewed the contents of the Walt Disney Company website, completed the readings provided at the Background page of Module 1, and performed additional research from the library and on the internet, write a 6- to 7-page paper in which you do the following:

Using the following assumptions of the Human Resources Frame, complete an in-depth assessment of the Walt Disney Company:

• Organizations exist to serve human needs rather than the reverse.
• People and organizations need each other. Organizations need ideas, energy, and talent; people need careers, salaries, and opportunities.
• When the fit between individual and system is poor, one or both suffer. Individuals are exploited or exploit the organization—or both become victims.
• A good fit benefits both. Individuals find meaningful and satisfying work, and organizations get the talent and energy they need to succeed.

Keys to the Assignment

The key aspects of this assignment that are to be covered in your 6- to 7-page paper include the following:

• Describe Walt Disney’s approach to human resources. Is Disney’s overall approach to human resources more or less effective relative to its ability to help the organization accomplish its stated purpose (vision, mission)? Explain.
• Using Bolman and Deal’s Human Resources Frame, analyze two or three human resources/ human relations characteristics of the Walt Disney Company. Because you cannot cover all characteristics that are related to human resources/ relations in a short paper, you will need to be selective; therefore, choose two or three characteristics that are of particular interest to you. These might include, for example the Walt Disney Company’s benefits design, its employee orientation/training programs, or its employee evaluation systems.
• For each of the human resources characteristics that you have included in your Case, discuss the extent to which that characteristic has been effective or ineffective relative to helping Disney to attain its stated purpose. Defend your answer in the context of the four (4) assumptions given above (how well do the two or three human resources/ relations characteristics you’ve identified ascribe to these assumptions – if at all)?
• Having had applied the Human Resources Frame to the Walt Disney Company, is there anything that you would you do differently? Conclude Chapter 3 of your paper by giving recommendations as to what you believe Disney should do, and explain why.
• The background readings will not give you all the answers to the Case. Therefore, you are expected to perform some research in the library, using a minimum of 3-4 scholarly sources from the library to support and justify your understanding of the case.
• Your paper must demonstrate evidence of critical thinking (if you need tips on critical thinking, http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/college-and-… is an excellent resource). Please do not restate facts – instead, be sure to interpret the facts you have accumulated from your research.
• Remember that the Module 3 Case will serve as Chapter 3 of your session-long thesis-style paper.

Background Information:

Read the following excerpt from Bolman, L.G. & Deal, T.E. (2003). Reframing organizations: artistry, choice, and leadership (3^rd ed). San Francisco: John Wiley. Note the assumptions of the Human Resources Frame, as you will use these to guide the writing of your Case:

Assumptions of the Human Resources Frame

Is the workplace really this bleak across the board? Are individuals simply pawns, sacrificed to collective purposes and casually cast aside when no longer needed? Is there hope that work can ever fully engage people’s talent and energy? Such questions have intensified with globalization and the growth in size and power of modern institutions. How can people find freedom and dignity in a world dominated by economic fluctuations and an emphasis on short-term results? Answers are not easy. They require a sensitive understanding of people and their symbiotic relationship with organizations. The human resource frame is built on core assumptions that highlight this linkage:

• Organizations exist to serve human needs rather than the reverse.
• People and organizations need each other. Organizations need ideas, energy, and talent; people need careers, salaries, and opportunities.
• When the fit between individual and system is poor, one or both suffer. Individuals are exploited or exploit the organization—or both become victims.
• A good fit benefits both. Individuals find meaningful and satisfying work, and organizations get the talent and energy they need to succeed.

People want to know, ‘How well will this place fulfill my needs?’ Organizations universally ask, ‘How do we find and retain people with the skills and attitudes needed to do the work?’” (Bolman & Deal, 2003, pp. 108).

Required Sources

Elaine Westbrooks’ presentation is a very good starting point from which we will begin our exploration of Bolman and Deal’s Human Resources Frame (sometimes referred to as the “Human Relations” Frame):

Westbrooks, E. (2012). Reframing organizations: The human resources frame. Prezi. Retrieved on May 4, 2014 from http://prezi.com/8n7gntvkuzw8/reframing-organizati…

Read this article by Chris Mabey, in which the merits of using the Human Resources Frame are highlighted:

Mabey, C. (2003). Reframing human resource development. Human Resource Development Review, 2(4), 430-452, Retrieved from ProQuest.

Optional – yet highly recommended – resources:

The following optional readings should be useful in your analysis of the Case:

Trahan, K. (2009). Make your company a magic kingdom. Sales & Service Excellence, 9(2), 15. Retrieved from EBSCO – Business Source Complete.

Shuit, D. P. (2004). Magic for sale. Workforce Management, 83(9), 35-40. Retrieved from EBSCO – Business Source Complete.

Human Resources (2014). The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved on May 7, 2014 from http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about-disney/human…

Working Here Overview (2014). Disney Careers. Retrieved on May 7, 2014 from http://disneycareers.com/en/working-here/overview/