Vous êtes sur la page 1sur 18

https://quizlet.

com/176995761/ic-job-analysis-and-hiring-decisions-at-ovania-chemical-flash-

cards/

Job Analysis and Hiring Decisions

at Ovania Chemical

Summary:

Ovania is a chemical company that specializes in plastic resins (packaging/containers). The

competition has led them to modernize its facilities. Because of this, they have created a new

position- the system analyzer-which asks the people to have more abilities with the

development of the technology. In order of that the company formed a committee and creates

job tasks to evaluate and select these new employees in fair and objective manner. Analysis:

In this case, the challenge will be how to analyze the new job and how to recruit and select

the new employees. System analyzers and is one of the most prestigious nonmanagerial jobs

in the entire plant because primarily responsible for the monitoring function. In the present

the company has found that semiskilled maintenance technician requires much more

technology and knowledge, and they will be more and more extensive in the future.

(Bohlander & Snell, 2010)

Ovania chemical estimates that the task, duties, and responsibilities of a system analyzer will

have changed by over 70 percent within two years. Because there was a two-year lead time

before the job would be put in place there would be a lot of time to train the new employees

and prepare them for the position. Therefore, any skills or knowledge that could reasonably

be acquired or trained during a two-year lead time was not part of the selection committee’s

factors. That is why only aptitude or ability factors were incorporated into the selection

process, rather than achievement test. (Bohlander & Snell, 2010)


This company must conduct a job analysis for a job that does not exist yet. They are not

100% sure of what kind of ability and skill the analyzer really needs. In my opinion, they

could also current job description as a base and looking at similar companies equipped with

the same machinery to gain some perspective.

Another problem for Ovania is the gender issue. They...

===========================================================

 1 Job Analysis and Hiring Decisions at Ovania Chemical Group Report 1.

Overview of the issue Ovania Chemical Corporation (Ovania) is a small but compet

itive chemical company that produces polyethylene terephthalate (PET) thermoplastic r

esin as its core product. Its continued success will require modernization of the fac

ilities, adaptation to new technology and undertaking a job redesign process for one

of its key roles. The most immediate need is for Ovania management to focus on r

edesigning the role of System Analyzer (SA), a prestigious, non-‐

managerial role that is estimated to change in duties and responsibilities by over 70%

in the next two years. The central issue in this case is the need for Ovania to ado

pt a strategic human resource management plan. The plan should focus on formalizi

ng practices to support a rigorous and thorough job analysis and an equitable selectio

n and recruitment process. Corporations need to have strong human resource manage

ment planning in order to develop human capital and thereby enhance their competiti

ve advantage (Kulvisaechana, 2005). The integration of a plan that aligns with evolv

ing business objectives will provide Ovania with a clear understanding of the changin

g SA role and its function within the organization. 2.

Analysis of Case: Strengths & Weaknesses Ovania has numerous strengths on whic

h to build this foundation of formalizing human resources practices. The company cl

early demonstrates elements of a learning organization: a commitment to redesigning


roles to meet the changing needs of the industry and remain competitive; intentions t

o promote from within the organization; recruiting the best talent externally if deeme

d appropriate; and, a commitment to making decisions fair and objective. As part of

their learning orientation, the company recognizes the SA position will change over t

he next two years and that by removing the factors that can be acquired through trai

ning; they focus squarely on candidates’ skills and abilities (what the candidates “bri

ng” rather than what the candidates can “learn”). This allows the possibility of brin

ging new perspectives to the role, while still meeting the critical requirements determ

ined through the job analysis. Additionally, the management at Ovania is aware of t

heir poor record of employment discrimination and has the will to change their strate

gies to encourage minorities and women to apply for these new positions. This awa

reness is critical as a first step to overcoming discriminatory practices in the organiza

tion. In this regard, the commitment to ongoing development is particularly important

for women and visible minorities, for whom management has indicated they want to

do a better job of recruiting. Statistically speaking, while employment equity is now

legislated, women1and minorities2 still face disadvantages and inequities. 1 According

to Statistics Canada (2006), women’s salaries are substantially lower than those of men.

 2 Ovania’s standpoint on training can also enhance the selection process in relation t

o ongoing talent management for both internal and external applicants. Given that th

ey are a specialty company, this position will potentially expand the applicant pool a

nd allow management to develop specific competencies in the job and/or people. The

commitment to training and development helps to build a culture of openness to ong

oing learning which is important as the company moves from an industrial focus to

one which values knowledge and innovation. Some potential problems may arise

from the decision to eliminate skills that could be learned. One such issue is that
the requirement for lengthy or substantial training could put Ovania at a competitive

disadvantage, as it will take two years to come up to speed. Further, management i

s “rolling the dice” as there is a possibility that someone cannot be trained to do th

e work. As a result training costs, in addition to initiating another recruitment proc

ess, could be significant. In order to avoid this and other issues, the company has

made some judicious decisions in how to address the need to evolve their operations

in a competitive market, this includes hiring two consultants to assist them with the

job analysis and using published and standardized aptitude testing to develop a fair a

nd objective selection process. Another efficacious consideration for Ovania will be

how to engage any relevant union groups in a discussion of the proposed changes.

While it was not specifically mentioned whether or not unions are present, or whethe

r the company has a good relationship with its various unionized groups, the absence

of it as a factor in the case might suggest that the relationship (if present) is functi

oning. While there are many positive aspects to the process Ovania has undertaken

, the company also has some systemic weaknesses that will need to be addressed thr

ough the implementation of a new strategic human resource management plan. On

e issue is that the current job analysis process is flawed. This has led the selection c

ommittee to develop a list of performance dimensions, and to identify critical abilities

and tasks for the role (noted in Appendix A), that may not fully represent the requi

rements of the new job. The tasks and skills that have been determined to be critic

al appear more focused on the existing role. Further, the selection committee had di

fficulty determining how best to combine multiple predictors in order to reach the fin

al cutoff scores to confirm the most suitable candidates. As a result, the committee

has not been able to develop a defensible process to make their selection decisions.

2 People in a visible minority are nearly twice as likely as others to have low incomes.
According to Statistics Canada (1995), more than a third (36%) of the visible minorities had

incomes below the poverty line, compared with 18% of other Canadians.

 3

Additionally, there is a culture of discrimination and bias in Ovania. Despite their i

ntention to correct a history of discriminatory hiring practices, the selection committee

demonstrated bias behind closed doors with their doubt of the abilities and credential

s of women and minority candidates. 3.

Recommendations for change Three recommendations are proposed to the selection c

ommittee responsible for the selection process of the SA position at Ovania: Recom

mendation #1: Have the selection committee, in collaboration with HR, conduct a ne

w job analysis process. The role of HR is to assist managers by providing educatio

n and advice, and by providing the right tools to ensure continuous improvement in

productivity. The HR manager should initiate a new process of job analysis that foll

ows a more systematic methodology (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). Briefly, ther

e are three phases: 1. preparation in the form of a step-‐by-‐

step examination of the organization; 2. collection of the job analysis information, an

d 3. determination of how to use the information collected. In the first phase, the

selection committee should thoroughly understand the organization’s character: compa

ny objectives, strategies, organizational structure, inputs (people, material, and procedu

res) and desired outcomes (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). It should also examine

how the job relates to others in the organization (Service Canada, 2010). This exam

ination will help identify critical tasks and content for testing, and attempt to elimina

te discriminatory practices. The committee should compile a task inventory in the s

econd phase advancing into the collection of job information. A comprehensive list o

f sources is needed such as in this case: industry-‐


specific associations like the Canadian Society for Chemical Technology that maintains

a set of practice competencies for certified chemical technologists; National Occupati

onal Classification; position descriptions from competitive organizations; equipment de

signs; maintenance manuals, training and safety manuals; professional journals and pu

blications, and internet research (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). Data can be collec

ted through a variety of ways including interviews, observation, and Task Sort Questi

onnaires (Landis, Fogli & Goldberg, 1998). In the case of Ovania, the committee

should interview individuals who are directly impacted by the role of SA. Such Su

bject Matter Experts (SME) include supervisors, position incumbents, subordinates, cus

tomers, colleagues who are impacted by this role, those who do the job in other co

mpanies and experts identified in the field (Truxillo, Paronto, Collins, & Sulzer, 2004

). A job analysis template will help ensure consistency in data collection. A sample

form is included as Appendix B.

 4

Through this process the committee can identify performance behaviors, critical comp

etencies, and knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). By linking tasks with KSAs they

will develop a legally defensible, content valid selection system (Landis, Fogli & Go

ldberg, 1998). The committee should disseminate the gathered information to surveye

d employees with lists of tasks, work aids, and KSAs. This process would help org

anize the participant’s thinking and standardize the approach (Urbanek, 1997). The s

election committee should also reconsider its assessment of what the candidate must

bring to the position versus what can be learned later on through whichever means d

eemed appropriate. Using a methodical approach to this “bring/learn ratio”, Ovania ca

n better assess the impact of the higher knowledge-‐

based component of the new SA. New educational requirements may demand establis
hed abilities in areas such as oral and written comprehension. Service Canada (2010

) notes that tools like willingness statements can be used to evaluate other special co

nsiderations. In the case of Ovania, this may include a statement of willingness to

work in treatment tanks. Finally, the process enters the third phase with a determina

tion of how to use the job analysis information. The selection committee should me

et with management to review the findings, comparing the prior concept of the positi

on to the data collected (Landis, Fogli, & Goldberg, 1998). If not done earlier, it is

at this point that the committee could raise the question of how to engage the union

in the job redesign. Schwind, Das and Wagar (2010) refer to the importance of garn

ering union involvement in managing change to foster a smoother transition. Recom

mendation #2: Create a defensible selection process. In order to establish a defensi

ble selection process for SA at Ovania, it will be necessary to review and amend the

current performance dimensions, to re-‐

examine the skills identified as critical to the role, to identify additional selection req

uirements such as education and other factors, and finally to incorporate a behavioura

l interview process as the final determining stage. A new 5-‐

step selection process is outlined in Appendix D that addresses each of these require

ments. Review and amend performance dimensions: After a detailed review of the

performance dimensions (duties and tasks) as outlined in the case study, Appendix A

– Figure 3A, it was noted that the original analysis by the selection committee did

not take into consideration such aspects as the educational requirements of the new r

ole or any special considerations (such as physical requirements of the job). In rev

iewing the performance dimensions following the revised job analysis process, an ove

r-‐

arching statement related to the key objectives of the job, education and special requi
rements for the role were added to the performance dimensions. The revised perfor

mance dimensions can be found in Appendix C – Figure 3A (Revised). It is assu

med that after the new job analysis is completed, and the performance dimensions a

mended to include educational, occupational and special requirements, that the

 5

role criteria was found to be sufficiently comprehensive for the new SA position. As

such, it is then necessary to re-‐

examine the skills that are deemed most critical in selecting candidates for the job.

Re-‐

examine Critical Skills: Following the committee’s considered approach to not inclu

de skills they believe could be gained through training and development over a two-‐

year period, they developed an initial list of 12 abilities and tasks, of which six wer

e considered critical. However, previously identified gaps in the job analysis resulted

in the identification of critical skills which were more strongly related to manual co

mpetencies, consistent with the current role, rather than the skills required to support

their future competitive needs. So while they used credible methods, the priority gi

ven to certain skills is questionable. In relation to the testing of skills, the assumpti

on is that the tests themselves are reliable and valid as they have been previously st

andardized; however, reliability does not ensure that a test is valid or useful. The

case indicates that there is no normative or validity data for the role of SA, therefor

e the content validity of the tests is questionable. Validity ensures that the tests acc

urately measure what is relevant and intended. In this case, it is clear that the conte

nt validity has not been accurately defined between the tests and the new SA role.

While the occupational testing seems to be measuring the specific basic skills identifi

ed by the committee, there is no testing that simulates the required job environment
to ensure that candidates can adapt to the physical environment that is necessary in t

he SA role. Therefore in developing a new selection process, an assumption was m

ade that content validity of critical skills can be determined by the frequency that th

ey are needed for job tasks. To re-‐

examine and determine the validity of the critical skills selected, the existing skills lis

t was compared to the performance dimensions. Skills that were required for more th

an 50% of the performance dimensions were deemed to be critical. This resulted in

a new list of critical skills that were finger dexterity, mechanical comprehension, visu

al pursuit, deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning. This re-‐

examination of critical skills is the second step in the revised selection process and i

s illustrated in Appendix D – Figure 3B (Revised). Further, to enhance the rigor of t

he selection process the revised critical skills were given priority in the selection pro

cess. The scores associated with the revised critical skills were totaled for each candi

date and the average found for all candidates. Those candidates that had scores gre

ater than the average were forwarded on to the next phase of the selection process t

hat involves an assessment of additional selection requirements. This resulted in a r

eduction from 20 potential candidates to 10 candidates as illustrated in Appendix D:

Figure 3C (Revised) -‐ Step 3.

 6 Additional selection requirements: As noted in the review of the performance di

mensions for the SA role, the original analysis by the selection committee did not ta

ke into consideration such aspects as the educational requirements of the new role or

any special considerations (such as physical requirements of the job). Educational a

ttainment as well as the physical demands of role must be addressed. In particular,

working in the treatment tanks was raised as a concern for the role and this ability

must be assessed. However, this should not be considered based on stereotype, as su


ggested in the original analysis, but considered based on the candidates’ statement of

willingness and physical capability. Once these additional requirements are clearly i

dentified they can be incorporated into the selection battery as occupational testing. A

s step 4 of the new selection process, the 10 candidates remaining from the review

of critical skills were then screened for education requirements and occupational testi

ng. It was determined that eighty percent of the candidates would pass each phase

of screening (occupational and education) resulting in a remaining pool of 6 candidat

es. These candidates were: Beliveau, Buffett, Egan, Laukitis, Lesko, and Sherman an

d the results are summarized in Appendix D: Figure 3C (Revised) – Step 4. Incor

porating of behavioural interviews: The final step in the new selection process is th

e behavioral interview. This process will enable the selection committee to assess co

mpetencies such as teamwork, cooperation, commitment to ongoing learning and respe

ct; all of which are critical components to what candidates will bring to the role. Th

e final results from the behavioral interview process will ideally identify the top thre

e successful candidates for the position of System Analyzer. The final results of the

new selection process can be seen in Appendix D: Figure 3C (Revised) – Step 5.

Recommendation #3: Address the systemic discrimination and bias in the compa

ny. McShane (2006) describes stereotyping as the process of attributing characteristic

s to individuals based either on information that can be easily observed, or by their

membership in a particular social category. One of the most significant issues with

stereotyping is that it “lays the foundation for discriminatory behavior” (McShane, 20

06). This issue is evident at Ovania in their history of employment discrimination c

harges and the comments made by management and staff about women and minority

groups. This indicates evidence of the systemic culture of discrimination and bias t

hat still exists in the company. McShane (2006) recommends three strategies to mini
mize stereotyping: diversity awareness, meaningful interaction, and decision-‐

making accountability (p.73). Ovania needs a comprehensive plan to address the root

causes of discrimination within the corporation, in addition to clear accountabilities f

or fair hiring practices. Conducting a thorough job analysis as

 7 outlined will help to determine equitable and non-‐

discriminatory selection and recruitment processes that will mitigate the existing negat

ive organizational culture. 4. Summary In conclusion, the recommendation to Ov

ania Chemical Corporation is to engage HR in a strategic and formalized process to

incorporate a new job analysis process for the SA role in an attempt to align the bu

siness goals with the hiring strategy. This will require conducting a new job analysi

s process and creating a defensible selection process. It is highly recommended th

at Ovania also establish educational programs and non-‐

discriminatory practices for recruitment, selection and retention of employees. By usi

ng careful analysis and a clear methodology for redefining the SA role, aligning the

recruitment and selection process with KSAs, and determining content validity, there i

s the opportunity for this organization to establish a fair, objective and productive wo

rk environment to meet the demands of a competitive and evolving marketplace. O

vania may wish to compare the results using test scores from their current process to

the selection results based on the new, more rigorous, analysis and selection process

(Appendix E). The recommendations provide a more defensible and significantly diff

erent result. If Ovania implements the outlined recommendations they will be able t

o demonstrate integrated human resources management that will support their business

planning objectives and significantly enhance their competitive advantage.

 8

References Banaji, M., Bazerman, M. And Chugh, D. (2003). “How Unethical are
You?” Harvard Business Review (December) Kulvisaechana, S. (2005). The Rhetori

c and Reality of Developing Human Capital in the Organization: A Case Study. Uni

versity of Cambridge: Peterhouse. Landis, R. S., Fogli, L. and Goldberg, E. (1998),

Future-‐

Oriented Job Analysis: A Description of the Process and Its Organizational Implicatio

ns. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 6: 192–

197. doi: 10.1111/1468-‐

2389.00089 McShane, Steven (2006). Canadian Organizational Behaviour (6th Edition

) McGraw-‐Hill Ryerson: Toronto. Chapter 3 pp64-‐

97 Schwind, Das & Wagar, (2010). Canadian Human Resource Management (9th Ed

.) McGraw-‐

Hill: Toronto. Statistics Canada. (2010). Visible Minorities in Canada. Canadian C

entre for Justice Statistics Profile Series. Downloaded from: http://dsp-‐

psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/Statcan/85F0033M/85F0033MIE2001009.pdf Statistics Canad

a (2006). Women in Canada. The Daily. Downloaded from: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/

daily-‐quotidien/060307/dq060307a-‐

eng.htm “Hiring Employees”. Retrieved November 20, 2010, from Service Canada w

ebsite: http://www.hrmanagement.gc.ca/gol/hrmanagement/site.nsf/eng/hr11529.html

Truxillo, D.M., Paronto, M.E., Collins, M., & Sulzer, J.L. (2004). Effects of subject

matter expert viewpoint on job analysis results. Public Personnel Management, 33(1),

33. Urbanek, S.J. (1997). Job analysis: A local government’s experience. Public Per

sonnel Management, 26(3), 423.


Transcript of Job Analysis and Hiring Decision at Ovania Chemical

Group 1

Kent Blevins

Jimmy Kingsley

Stephanie Ewart

Erin Eble

Jesse Austhof

Anne Redder Job Analysis and Hiring Decision

at Ovania Chemical Review Question 1 Summary Q: How would you go about conducting a

job analysis for a job that does not yet exist?

- Use current job description as a base

- Look at similar companies equipped with the same machinery to gain perspective

- Consider the future machines and how they would be used in order to forecast the

requirements needed for the future job

- Benchmarking Review Question 2 Q: What reasons did the selection committee have for

selecting only those factors that could not be acquired in a two-year training program?

- Anything that could be trained will be taught to the employees on the job

- To gain "new blood" Review Question 3 Q: Should the concern for women getting down

into the dirty treatment tanks have been a selection issue?

- Not specifically to just women

- There should be no gender discrimination

- BFOQ Review Question 4 Flyswatter! Q: Would this test battery and selection procedure be

defensible in court

- No, because of the race and gender components - Ovania is a chemical company that
specializes in plastic resins (packaging/containers)

- Competition has led them to modernize

- The company formed a committee to hire new people who will be able to handle the

changing position.

-They create job tasks for the future position as well as personal qualities they feel are

necessary in order to successfully carry out the job’s responsibilities.

https://www.slideshare.net/agilvjoseph/job-ananlysis

Job ananlysis

1. 1. JOB ANANLYSIS AND HIRING DECISIONS AT OVANIA CHEMICALS By-

Aarathy Jayakrishnan Amrita Banerjee Agil V Joseph Ananth Kumar Anuroop Vipul

2. 2. SYNOPSIS OF THE CASE STUDY Ovania Chemical Corporation – one of the

smallest, successful chemical producers. Core product - PET(Polyethylene

terephthalate) thermoplastic resins. Due to technological advances, Ovania is

modernizing its facilities.

3. 3.  The company decided to redesign it’s employees jobs. E.g. Boucherville Plant

The plant needed new System Analysers to monitor the individual steps and the

processes of the processes.


4. 4.  Pneumatics, Job Hydraulics Specification IT Programming Electrical

Wiring Finger Dexterity Mechanical Compensation, Numerical Ability, Spatial

Ability, Visual Pursuit, Detection.

5. 5. Three men currently working and three new men were to be recruited. The

consultants did job analysis and found out the job description.

6. 6. Job description Maintaining spares and supplies Handling revisions and new

installations Trouble Shooting Record Keeping Routing Maintenance

7. 7.  The panel will qualify a candidate only if he/she had all the above qualities

mandatorily. The committee decided to recruit the new blood as well as promote

within the organization. Current System Analysers – encouraged to reapply for the

job.

8. 8.  For next two years, no change in positions. For the recruitment, only ability and

aptitude factors are considered and not the achievement tests. Some of the committee

members doubt if women and the minority members have the credentials to compete

for the position. The panel adopted new strategy to encourage minorities and women,

ignoring past employment history.

9. 9.  A concern that Ovania will be accused of prejudices if women or members of

minority are hired. Managers are committed to make fair and objective decisions.

56 employees applied; women-21, visible minorities- 15, current system analyzers-

2/3. Selection criteria: Cut off of 800 in twelve tests, resulted in 20 primary candidate.

10. 10.  For the specific job of system analyzer, no normative or validity data. Test

battery could be defended based on the content validity. Selection committee is

having a difficult time to combine the multiple predictors to reach the final cut-off

scores.
11. 11. SOLUTIONS Two of the three existing System Analysts are reapplying for the

job Shows they are interested to work with the new technologies. The organization

must motivate  training them for the new job  allow them to continue in the same

field of work. Already have basic knowledge about the field

12. 12.  Could collaborate with a consultancy to carry on and understand the recruitment

process better Consultancy might have better knowledge  How the other

organizations are conducting their recruitment processes. One female, minority

member could be present in the panel  To avoid prejudice charges.

13. 13. System Analysts working in other organizations  offering them attractive Salary

packages.

14. 14. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1. How would you go about conducting a job

analysis for a job that does not yet exist?“A future oriented approach to job analysis”

Strategic analysis Clear idea of how job should be restructured meeting organizational

needs. Identifying “TDR” of job that satisfy the organizational requirement. Identify

the key “KSAs”

15. 15. Take the subject matter experts(managers, supervisors , etc…)opinion Assemble

them in a workshop to understand how future issues are likely to affect the

job.Knowledgeable individuals are consulted for the expected jobchanges in future and

the KSA’s that they havethe present V/s future job changes are identified Tasks and

KSA’s having greatest changes are isolated

16. 16. 2. Do you think the abilities chosen for selection are content valid? What other

predictors might be generally useful for employee selection? Yes Content Valid 

Abilities match the skills required for the job  The other predictors include 

Motivation  Team work,  Adaptability because of changing environment,  The

mentality to take up initiatives.


17. 17. 3. What reasons did the selection committee have for selecting only those factors

which could be acquired through a two- year training program? The company was

ready to take up candidates with the skills that could be developed in a period if two

years to satisfy the job requirements. As the requirement of the job was not immediate,

they wanted to hire candidates with the skills that could be developed by training.

18. 18. 4. Should the concern for women getting down into the dirty treatment tanks have

been a selection issue ? How might you include this factor in a selection battery? Yes,

the concern for women getting down into the dirty treatment tanks have been a selection

issue . The management feels that women might not find it comfortable to perform such

jobs. This factor could be resolved by asking for the approval of the women

candidates during the time of their selection for the system analyst position.

19. 19. 5. For the abilities termed critical what score should someone receive in order to be

considered scoring “well” on that test? How should the test scores be combined( ex.

Compensatory, multiple hurdle, combination)? For abilities termed critical , a score

of 80 can be considered as doing well on the test. Test score should be combined in a

multiple hurdle method because we need people who are good in each of these critical

areas. If we used a compensatory or combination method, candidate who are very good

in one field and average or below average in another might also get selected, which

would hinder the performance of the company.

20. 20. 6. Which three candidates seem most qualified? What are your reservations , if any

, about this recommendation? The three candidates who qualify the most are Sara E,

Sherman A, and Snell J. Some reservations we might have for these recommendations

are Two are females All are whites Two of them are internal employees
21. 21. 7. Would this test battery and selection procedure be defensible in court? Yes,

they can be defensible because the candidates are selected based on the scores given

here. Hence the factul data provided supports our selection .

22. 22. IMPLICATIONS Well Defined Allying JOBS To “TDR” And Future“KSA” For

Any Requirement JobChoose Right AvoidCandidates. Discriminations

23. 23. THANK YOU

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi