The Case for Flexibility Teaching Notes This instructor's guide provides a roadmap and information to assist teachers. The student workbook appears as a separate section following the teaching notes. Purpose of the Study/Simulation This case is targeted to undergraduate business majors in a human resource course. This case is designed as a supplement to a lesson/lecture on compensation and benefits, work/life balance and flexible work arrangements (FWAs) to advance students' knowledge, understanding and experience about these issues. Learning Objectives Students will learn about board governance and leadership; chain of command; flexible work arrangements; and resistance to change. Students will have the opportunity to apply HR theory to real-world situations to gain relevant insight about the ramifications of these policies on the employee and the organization. Finally, the case is set in the nonprofit sector to develop students' knowledge and awareness of the nuances of this sector, which is typically not a focus in most business courses. Instructions on Conducting the Simulation Students are presented with a scenario and an interactive simulation as a basis to discuss a nonprofit organization's struggle to compete with for-profit organizations to attract and retain a talented workforce. Specifically, this case focuses on employees' desire for flexible work arrangements and the employer's resistance to change in the way she manages her human resources. The case is designed for maximum participation in classes which vary in size and profile. The case is interactive and experiential and should create opportunities to engage students. Students are introduced to the challenge through a vignette that describes the organization and the dilemma surrounding flexible work arrangements. A group of students will serve as members of the board's personnel committee to make recommendations to resolve this issue. The personnel committee will present its recommendation to the board for their consideration and decision. Following the simulation, students will participate in a debrief discussion guided by case questions. There are a variety of ways to address these questions-student presentations, small group discussions, takehome assignments, etc. Sample answers (common responses that an instructor might expect to hear during the debriefing) follow each question, but because several questions are based on individual judgment and experience, there are other correct answers as well. Students are provided the following: a. The scenario outlining the HR issue and actions preceding the simulation. b. Roles for all key simulation participants including the executive director, board chair, personnel committee members, board of directors and consultants. c. Pre-simulation assignment including a roster of suggested readings. d. Background on nonprofit boards (PowerPoint handout). e. The simulation. f. Debrief questions. To make this the best possible learning experience, students should research the topic. Their successful participation...
To govern or not to govern effectively, that is the question; one of the answers is to train not‐for‐profit board members appropriately.
At the core of a successful not-for-profit organization (NFP) must be an effective board of directors. A reasonable approach to building a more effective board includes ensuring the board has a high level of participation among its members and that the focus of their participation is concentrated on governance. It is not a new notion that board orientation programs can create a climate that facilitates high board participation that is focused on governance; however, in this article, I offer what may be a new vision for developing and managing board orientation programs. The proposed model includes NFP-specific and general board training content that one would expect to find in a orientation program for new board members. In addition, it includes three factors which may make it distinct: 1) teaching a board member shared beliefs or “truths” that can enhance their perceived ability to govern; 2) creating a dialogue through which a board member can articulate his or her perceived needs and obstacles to fully participate; and. 3) implementing a process for the NFP to be responsive to board member needs and obstacles so board participation increases. The research study presented in this paper tests the efficacy of the proposed orientation model. The results are discussed and implications for best practices for NFPs are suggested.
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