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In Module 8, Slide 4, We learn about TQM, Total Quality Management. The Malcolm Baldrige Award is given to United States companies that exceed the quality standard and shows the awarded businesses have been able to implement and keep an exceptional level of Total Quality Management. The winner for the Service category of 2021 was MidwayUSA. The business is an internet-based retail company that employs over 600 employees and had a gross sale total of over 700 million dollars. The company is ranked in the top 3 percent of customer satisfaction for internet retailers and clearly exceeded their sales and revenue growth for the year. This business is a great example of how addressing and implementing a great TQM process can lead your business to be extraordinarily successful.

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Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
2021 Award Recipient, Service

MidwayUSA is a family-owned Internet retailer offering "Just About Everything"® for shooting, hunting, and the outdoors. It is a world leader in its market sector, ranking in the top 3% of the best U.S. performers in Customer satisfaction out of 3,500 internet retailers. Offering more than 165,000 products from more than 900 Suppliers, across 18 categories. MidwayUSA's gross sales exceeded $700 million in 2021. Employing 615 Employees at its facility in Columbia, Mo., the organization is proud that its Employees share its Values and have a passion for serving its Customers, in addition to many having a deep passion for shooting, hunting, and outdoor sports. Since first adopting the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence in 2006, MidwayUSA has continued to pursue its vision "to be the best-run business in America, and the most successful, most respected business in our industry, for the benefit of our Customers."

This is the third Baldrige Award for MidwayUSA; the company was honored in the small business category in 2009 and 2015.

Highlights

Outperforms the next-best online retail competitor in overall Supplier and Partner satisfaction with 94% satisfaction rate in 2020 and 2021

Leadership Founded on Values and Being the "Best-Run Business in America"

review performance via scorecards to create a short- and long-term focus on the mission and operational goals.

Senior leaders lead the development of Company Action Plans and corrective action reports to ensure alignment with the vision. A "Bucket List" serves as a collection site for innovative ideas or intelligent risks generated by Employees that are analyzed as potential Company Action Plans to help achieve strategic objectives and long-term goals.

The Senior Leadership Team selects future leaders annually to be mentored for leadership positions. Nearly 80% of management positions are filled from within, surpassing the benchmark for the online KPI Library, a crowd-sourced repository of key performance indicators.

Strategy, to Embrace Agility and an Open-Door Culture

A 12-month, seven-step (with 26 supporting steps) Strategic Planning Process is designed to help MidwayUSA identify the need for, enact, and sustain change, and monthly meetings give the organization the agility to respond quickly. Strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats analyses are used to understand and determine higher-level strategic challenges and potential mitigation strategies. The Strategic Plan Execution completion rate, which represents the percentage of Company Action Plans completed within the allotted time frame, is more than 95%, well above the KPI Library benchmark of 77%.

Through an open-door culture, Employees engage with and share concerns with senior leaders through State of the Business meetings, Department Knowledge Sharing meetings, daily department musters (frontline staff assemble to receive performance information), new hire orientation, and Employee focus groups.

Benchmark Performance for Workforce Results

Sales dollars per Employee cost have nearly doubled, from about $9 in 2004 to $22 in 2020. This increase in workforce capability and capacity has led to over $1 million in sales per full-time Employee in 2020, up from about $500,000 in 2014.

MidwayUSA has averaged 39% net income growth every year over the past 12 years. This supports the organization sharing profits with staff, which it has done for the last 17 years. 2020 was a record profit-sharing year for the organization.

MidwayUSA projects sustained benchmark leadership performance in workforce climate results, including the Employee Rewards Index, which compares benefits, services, and policies offered at MidwayUSA to local, award-winning, and industry organizations.

Employees have rated satisfaction with "competitive salary for my position" at close to or at 90% since 2014; in 2021, this rating was almost 25 points higher than a national survey comparison benchmark. Measures of "advancement opportunities and growth within my position" and "continuous learning, training, and development" also show benchmark leadership results, which are about 15 points higher than the national survey comparison best.

Operational Results Based on Relationships and Cutting-Edge Technologies

In 2020, MidwayUSA adopted session replay technology allowing Employees to watch Customers' on-site experiences and predict areas of the website that may dissatisfy Customers in the future. Through Customer behavior and a Product Recommendation Engine, active and inactive Customers are only sent advertisements for things that are or predicted to be of interest to them. The Customer Behavior Analysis process and algorithms are used to identify Customers unlikely to purchase products in the short term. In addition, in-house website design/development and application development capabilities have allowed MidwayUSA to integrate multiple cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence.

Due to its Supplier and Partner relationships, MidwayUSA secured a high level of product allocation (a strategic inventory method used when the quantity of products available for purchase is limited), allowing for a 65% in-stock product rate, outperforming its next-best industry competitor.

MidwayUSA significantly outperforms the next-best online retail competitor in overall Supplier and Partner satisfaction with 94% satisfaction rate in 2020 and 2021. Survey data for "friendly, courteous, ethical relationship with Suppliers" improved from 93% in 2018 to 97% in 2020, better than the best-competitor's benchmark.

Results for timely and accurate payments show that MidwayUSA is the benchmark leader among its competitors, with sustained performance since 2014 around 95% and approaching 100%. The next-best competitor is at about 80%.

Award-Winning Customer Loyalty and Advocacy

MidwayUSA averages 95% Customer satisfaction each year, outperforming a national marketing research company's circle of excellence benchmark since 2018. In addition, since 2018, Customer loyalty and advocacy have exceeded 90%, at or above the circle of excellence benchmark.

MidwayUSA is a 13-time winner of the national marketing research company BizRate's Circle of Excellence Award®, which it has won for the last seven years in a row. MidwayUSA ranks in the top 3% of the best U.S. performers in Customer satisfaction out of 3,500 internet retailers. Measures of on-time delivery, Customer advocacy (likelihood to recommend), and Customer loyalty have all yielded results for several years equal to or better than the circle of excellence benchmarks.

Continuously Improving Financial Results

MidwayUSA's growth in gross sales outperformed the next-best competitor benchmark by nearly 30 points, reaching 100% 2020. The organization has grown on average 17% annually over the past 12 years, almost double the average industry growth rate of 9%.

Gross sales exceeded $700 million in 2021. Net income surpassed a national risk management association benchmark by nearly 25 points in 2020. Gross margin has nearly doubled since 2017.

Return on assets has averaged 75% since 2016. This percentage is better than a national risk management association benchmark and sets MidwayUSA as the benchmark leader in its industry.

For the last several years, MidwayUSA has been in the top 3% (circle of excellence benchmark) of all organizations surveyed by a national marketing research company in terms of price relative to other online retailers; product availability; and "frequent, engaging, relevant promotions."

Citizenship and Community Support

Employees support their community by participating in biannual Red Cross blood drives. In 2021, 55 units were collected, a 45% increase over 2018.

Resources
Search All Baldrige Award Recipients
Baldrige Award Recipient FAQs
Attend Quest for Excellence
How Baldrige Works
Baldrige Program Impacts

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MidwayUSA is a family-owned Internet retailer offering "Just About Everything"® for shooting, hunting, and the outdoors. It is a world leader in its market sector, ranking in the top 3% of the best U.S. performers in Customer satisfaction out of 3,500 internet retailers. Offering more than 165,000 products from more than 900 Suppliers, across 18 categories.

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Through the course of this project, I have made many references to the Office, as it is my favorite show, and is truly relatable. The show does a great job of making me laugh, and I was able to connect a lot of things we learned in this course to how a business is run or should be run, through the show. This article does a great job of showcasing what we can learn about being a manager from The Office and Michael Scott himself.

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Five Lessons Learned from "The Office" on Managing Employees Effectively - Rallyware

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The Office , a well-known sitcom with such bright characters like Michael Scott, Dwight Schrute, Jim Halpert, Andy Bernard, and others, depicts a lot of funny though hyperbolized stories that can still happen in a workplace. Besides, it's a great source of golden advice for managers on how to wrap their heads around an office environment and get along with people.

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In Module 8, Slide 3, We learn about the importance of Quality Control in a business. Creed Bratton is the sole employee of Dunder Mifflin Scranton responsible for quality control. He clearly has given up on his responsibilities, and in this episode, he skips out on performing his duties of quality control checks at the paper distribution warehouse. This became a huge mistake. There was a mistake that caused an obscene graphic to be printed on paper that was given to a school district. This mistake ended up costing Dunder Mifflin a lot of money. They lost the school district as a client, as well as made the news for the blunder, causing them to lose even more clients. This is a great example of how important quality control is for even small businesses.

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In Module 8, Slide 4, We learn about different ways businesses can manage Quality Management. One program that is becoming increasingly popular with companies is participating in Lean Six Sigma. Recently, my company has chosen to have staff become certified in Six Sigma and I took advantage of learning this program and became certified in Six Sigma. Learning this quality control process helps the business identify waste within the company and allows employees and management to come up with a plan to improve processes to become more efficient.

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Module 6, Slide 3, Leadership, we review leadership styles. Opposite of Dwight, Michael as a manager or leader possesses a very Laissez-Faire, and even most times, emotional leadership style. He cares about his employees and clients and connects with them on an emotional level to show support and foster motivation. He also never makes decisions for the whole office, he always brings up issues to the staff and asks for opinions, and sometimes even votes, on what the decisions should be.

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All the Times Michael Scott Was Actually a Great Boss - The Office

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In Module 7, Slide 1, Leadership, We learn about the leadership role in a business. Listed are common job functions and traits associated with being a leader vs. being a manager. This article from LinkedIn explains the difference between a manager and a leader. It is important to note that you can be a manager, while being a good leader, too.

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This is part of LinkedIn’s new Newsletter Series. To get weekly exclusive CEO interviews, and insights on leadership, the future of work, and employee experience hit the “subscribe” button here.

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In Module 6, Slide 1, Motivation, We learn about why motivation is important in the workplace. Research has proven that the more motivated employees are, the more money the business earns. In this episode, Andy is acting as the Branch Manager at Dunder Mifflin Scranton. He is trying to come up with new ways to motivate his employees to meet the sales quota. Funny enough, his silly tactics of offering to get a tattoo on himself if the team meets the goal, actually works, and the sales quota gets met. It is important for businesses to have a solid plan in place to be able to continually motivate employees so they stay productive and the business stays profitable.

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How to Get People to Work Harder - The Office US

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In Module 6, Slide 3, We learn about the different types of management and leadership styles. A great example of an autocratic leadership style is Dwight when he becomes branch manager at Dunder Mifflin. He quickly changes rules without any input or opinions from his employees, and thus creates huge issues in the office as no one is happy anymore. He even changed the two-ply tissue to single-ply...

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Dwight K. Schrute, (Acting) Manager - The Office

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In Module 6, Slide 7, Communication, We learn about effective and ineffective business communications. The article above is from Slack, a platform that allows teams or organizations to add users and chat with each other, which I have used in a previous job and actually really enjoyed. The article explains ways you can be effective in your business communications with management and employees. PArticularly important to me, for managers, I feel it is very important to ask for feedback from team members in your communications. Employees are known to respond better and generally be happier when they feel their opinion or voice is heard.

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If you want a successful career, effective communication is critical. Good workplace communication can help improve teamwork and collaboration, mitigate conflicts by reducing the chances of a misunderstanding and provide emotional support for every team member.

By becoming a better communicator, you will build better relationships with your employees, colleagues and clients. Other than boosting engagement, good communication can boost team buy-in and encourage creative thinking.

Effective business communication techniques

To communicate effectively, you need to be good at active listening, message delivery and asking for feedback. These are some of our favorite techniques for taking communication skills to the next level.

Adapt the message to your audience

One of the first things you should do for effective communication is learn how to adapt your communication (style and messaging) for different audiences. If you're talking to your safety team about a new policy, they're probably already aware of the problem, so you can get deeper in the weeds of execution details. But when you roll out the same policy to frontline employees, adjust your message. Most likely, you'll take a broader approach. Explain the purpose of the policy and how it should be physically carried out in their day to day.

The same is true for any situation. You would address a group of kindergartners, tech entrepreneurs, cattle farmers and fitness professionals differently based on the topic, what you're trying to convey and where the discussion is taking place.

Prepare for the message delivery

How are you standing? Is your body language open and inviting? Are you making lots of eye contact or looking at a screen?

Before any communication, whether it's a one-on-one meeting or major speech, prepare yourself. You might spend a few minutes taking deep breaths before a presentation or review a meeting agenda before a huddle.

Be authentic as you communicate

According to a post from Quantified Communications, authentic leaders are 50% more passionate, with messages that are 29% clearer. They exude warmth and openness. When talking to colleagues and subordinates, they have a sense of immediacy and are fully present in the conversation.

People also want to work more with authentic leaders and communicators. Being trustworthy and reliable ultimately makes your job easier because people will want to collaborate with you.

Be enthusiastic and engaged when speaking

People are more receptive to positive stimuli. Smiling and showing your enthusiasm are top strategies for better communication. By using these techniques, you make people more likely to listen to you and buy into what you're saying.

Manage nonverbal signals to control the message

According to body language researcher Albert Mehrabian, 55% of communication is nonverbal and 38% is vocal, while only 7% consists of spoken words.

This means it's incredibly important to manage your nonverbal signals. If you're constantly glancing at the clock with your feet pointed toward the door, your audience will think you aren't interested in the conversation. For better communication, your nonverbal signals and spoken words must be in sync.

Practice active listening when people respond to you

Active listening isn't just hearing what someone says. It involves showing your engagement with the discussion by asking questions and caring about what they say. By being an active listener, you demonstrate your interest in the other person's message and build a stronger relationship with them. It also helps you remember details from the conversation.

You know those people who never forget a name? They're probably active listeners. One tactic is repeating the person's name back to them during an introduction. But you can also do this on projects by repeating directions or rephrasing what someone has said to make sure you fully understand. Nodding, making eye contact and leaning forward also show you're engaged.

Ask for feedback from team members

One of the most effective and efficient ways to improve your communication is to ask for feedback. After all, most of us learn and grow through change.

Start by creating a process for giving feedback. This could be a brief, post-meeting survey or an in-person discussion. Also, implement an open-door policy so employees feel like they can approach you with any of their problems.

Probe for understanding to confirm you're being heard

Asking questions shows the speaker how engaged you are in the conversation. It also gives you more information and a natural opportunity to practice active listening.

Handle conflicts respectfully

You won't always agree with your team members, bosses and subordinates. Even if you won't see eye to eye on everything, you do need to communicate in a respectful way if you want to keep your working relationship going. As a general rule, never say anything in anger you would want to take back once you calm down.

Use the right tools

Sometimes, the best tip for effective communication is figuring out which tool to use. There is a time and place for tools like email, Slack, one-on-one conversations, team discussions and group meetings. Each tool has its own benefits and limitations, so think carefully before choosing one tool over another.

Email: People use email communication for simple updates and questions. If you want a group discussion or need to address a complex topic, email can quickly spiral out of control. For more complex matters, you should use a different tool.

Slack: Slack is efficient for all types of conversations because you can do individual and group chats across different channels. It integrates with more than 2,000 apps like nTask, Time Doctor, Dropbox, Drift and Trello, so your teams can work in their other tools simultaneously without needing to switch contexts. Send a file in one project channel, give quick feedback in another or launch a meeting right in the chat.

One-on-one conversations: One-on-one conversations are great for constructive criticism and individual training. But they aren't ideal if you need to address things to a team or provide a simple update. Use one-on-one conversations for sensitive or complex exchanges.

Team discussions: Team discussions are typically brief, on-the-fly chats. Use these for real-time group collaboration when there's a specific goal in mind, or for stand-ups and scrums. Avoid using these for updates on projects that don't overlap or where a large portion of attendees are unaffected.

Group meetings: These are great if you need to train or update the entire group at once. Use these sparingly. If you're conveying something that can be sent in a short message, do that! When you do need a group meeting, schedule it ahead of time and have a clear agenda with expected outcomes.

Timing is everything

If you need to discuss a project update or find an important document, you have to find the right moment. One of the top strategies for better communication is to pay attention to your colleagues' crunch times and deadlines. When someone else is facing a looming deadline or a problem at work, they'll have a difficult time hearing anything you're trying to tell them.

Determine the time of day and platform where members of your team are most open to communication. For example, if they check and answer messages after 4 p.m., prepare your conversation and have it available for them within their preferred time frame.

Become a better communicator

Whether you want to move up the ladder or get your project across the finish line smoothly, effective communication is crucial. By using these simple techniques, you'll not only be a more authentic, engaged speaker, you'll be more effective at your job and working with colleagues.

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If you want a successful career, effective communication is critical. Good workplace communication can help improve teamwork and collaboration, mitigate conflicts by reducing the chances of a misunderstanding and provide emotional support for every team member. By becoming a better communicator, you will build better relationships with your employees, colleagues and clients.

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In Module 6, Slide 7, We learn that HR is responsible for hiring and firing employees. This can be necessary to be done through Human Resources employees because of the legality of terminating an employee. Human Resources in a company are employees that have extensive schooling or certifications to ensure that the hiring and firing process is done legally. One huge fact I have found regarding firing employees is that, in Florida, we are an at-will employment state. This means that employers may fire or terminate an employee for any reason they want other than illegal reasons like discrimination. The link posted outlines the full law governing at-will employment.

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Please note NCSL cannot provide advice or assistance to private citizens or businesses regarding employment-related matters. Please consult your state department of labor or a private attorney.
I. The At-Will Presumption
Employment relationships are presumed to be "at-will" in all U.S. states except Montana. The U.S. is one of a handful of countries where employment is predominantly at-will. Most countries throughout the world allow employers to dismiss employees only for cause. Some reasons given for our retention of the at-will presumption include respect for freedom of contract, employer deference, and the belief that both employers and employees favor an at-will employment relationship over job security.

At-will means that an employer can terminate an employee at any time for any reason, except an illegal one, or for no reason without incurring legal liability. Likewise, an employee is free to leave a job at any time for any or no reason with no adverse legal consequences.

At-will also means that an employer can change the terms of the employment relationship with no notice and no consequences. For example, an employer can alter wages, terminate benefits, or reduce paid time off. In its unadulterated form, the U.S. at-will rule leaves employees vulnerable to arbitrary and sudden dismissal, a limited or on-call work schedule depending on the employer's needs, and unannounced cuts in pay and benefits.

B. Modification by Contract

The at-will presumption is a default rule that can be modified by contract. For example, a contract may provide for a specific term of employment or allow termination for cause only. Typically, U.S. companies negotiate individual employment agreements only with high-level employees. Collective bargaining agreements usually provide that represented employees may only be terminated for cause.

Cause generally includes reasons such as poor employee performance, employee misconduct, or economic necessity. An employment contract may specifically outline the situations or employee actions that would lead to termination for cause.
II. Common Law Exceptions to the At-Will Presumption
Over the years, courts have carved out exceptions to the at-will presumption to mitigate its sometimes harsh consequences. The three major common law exceptions are public policy, implied contract, and implied covenant of good faith.

The at-will presumption is strong, however, and it can be difficult for an employee to prove that his circumstances fall within one of the exceptions. Further, not all of the exceptions are recognized by all jurisdictions.
A. Public Policy
The most widely recognized common law exception to the at-will presumption protects employees against adverse employment actions that violate a public interest. This common law exception is similar to, and may overlap with, the retaliation exception described below. Some courts have refused to recognize a separate public policy tort where a statutory remedy is available.

States that recognize the public policy exception vary significantly in how broadly or narrowly it is construed. The majority of states accept only public policy expressed in state constitutions and statutes. A minority also allow additional sources that may include administrative rules and regulations, professional codes of ethics, and broader notions of public good and civic duty.

The American Law Institute's proposed Restatement (Third) of Employment Law identifies four categories within the public policy exception:

1) Refusing to perform an act that state law prohibits.

Refusing an employer's request to commit perjury at a trial.

2) Reporting a violation of the law.

Reporting an employer's fraudulent accounting practices or use of child labor.

3) Engaging in acts that are in the public interest.

Joining the National Guard or performing jury duty.

4) Exercising a statutory right.

Filing a claim under the state workers' compensation law.

Implied contracts of employment are recognized in 41 states and the District of Columbia, but even where recognized may be difficult for a plaintiff to prove. An implied contract may be created in several different ways. Oral assurances by a supervisor or employer representative (e.g., "We need good people around here, you've got a job for life!" or "We don't dismiss employees without giving them a chance to correct their behavior.") may give rise to an implied contract. Likewise, the employer's handbooks, policies, practices or other written assurances may create an implied contract.

Thus, even though there is no express written contract between the employer and an individual employee, that employee may have an expectation of fixed term or even indefinite employment based on a supervisor's statement, an employer's practice of only firing employees for cause, or an assertion in the employee handbook that specific termination procedures will be followed. The list of examples above is not exhaustive.

As a general rule, courts disregard language promising long-term, lifetime, or permanent employment as aspirational and consider the relationship to be at-will. Employers can further protect themselves by using a clear and unambiguous disclaimer on written materials stating that its policies and procedures do not create contractual rights. Employers can also reserve the right to modify policies and procedures at any time.

In states with a statute of frauds, the requirement that contracts of over a year be in writing creates an additional hurdle to employee claims involving oral assurances.

C. Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing

A minority of states recognize an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in employment relationships. Judicial interpretations of this covenant have varied from requiring just cause for termination to prohibiting terminations made in bad faith or motivated by malice.

Examples of bad faith terminations include an employer firing an older employee to avoid paying retirement benefits or terminating a salesman just before a large commission on a completed sale is payable. There have been relatively few cases in which employers were found liable under an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing theory.

D. Additional Tort-Based Claims Limiting At-Will Employment

At-will employees may also bring claims against their employers for the following torts:

Intentional interference with a contract. This claim may be made in the employment context when a supervisor or co-worker with an improper motive successfully induces the employee's dismissal. This tort is not recognized in all jurisdictions.

Intentional infliction of emotional distress. The Restatement (Second) of Torts defines this tort as extreme and outrageous conduct that intentionally or recklessly causes severe emotional distress. In many courts, even serious emotional and psychological abuse may not be outrageous enough to establish liability.

E. Promissory Estoppel

An employer could be estopped from firing an employer, or required to pay damages, if the employee can show the following:

The employer made a clear and unambiguous promise of employment;

The employee relied on this promise;

The employee's reliance was reasonable and foreseeable; and

The employee was injured as a result.

Imagine an individual who receives and accepts a job offer, quits his current employment, and then relocates his family to the city where the new job is located. Before his first day with the new employer, he is terminated. An individual in this situation may have a promissory estoppel claim.

It is difficult for a plaintiff to prove all of the promissory estoppel elements, especially in an employment context. Some courts reject outright promissory estoppel claims made by an at-will employee by contending that an employee cannot reasonably rely on a promise of employment if the employment is at-will.

In any case, promissory estoppel provides only a limited remedy in comparison to a breach of contract claim. This is because damages are calculated based on the individual's previous employment, and not on the promised employment.
III. Statutory Exceptions to the At-Will Presumption
In addition to the common-law exceptions outlined above, there are also several statutory exception to the at-will employment doctrine.

A. Illegal Discrimination

Federal and state discrimination statutes prohibit employers from basing employment decisions on an employee's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status. Specific state statutes may also protect employees from discrimination based on other factors, such as sexual orientation.

It is important to recognize that discrimination statutes shield members of protected classes only from adverse employment actions made because of their membership in a protected class. In other words, an employer may fire Jane because she failed to perform the required functions of her job, but not because she is in a wheelchair.

1. Protections for an Employee's Off-Duty Activities

A few states have enacted legislation to protect employees from adverse employment actions resulting from legal off-duty activities. In Colorado, CRS § 24-34-402.5 was originally known as the Smoker's Rights Act, but actually protects any legal off-duty activities conducted away from the employer's premises. North Dakota adopted a similarly broad statute. Legislation enacted by Indiana, New Jersey, Oregon, and South Dakota specifically prohibits employer discrimination against smokers.

There are limits even to Colorado's expansive act. The legislation allows employers to constrain the lawful, off-duty activities of their employees when 1) the restriction relates to bona fide occupational activity; 2) is reasonably and rationally related to the employment activities and responsibilities; or 3) is necessary to avoid an actual conflict of interest or the appearance of one.

Retaliation is another statute-based exception to the at-will presumption. Federal and/or state laws prohibit employers from firing employees in retaliation for engaging in legally proper, necessary, or desirable activities. Example of protected activities include claiming minimum wage or overtime compensation, engaging in union activities, opposing unlawful discriminatory practices, filing for workers' compensation, and "whistleblowing."

While most states provide whistleblower protection for public sector employees, protection for private sector employees is more limited. Approximately seventeen states have enacted whistleblower statutes that protect private sector employees from adverse employment actions if they report an employer's wrongdoing. Please see our compilation of state whistleblower statutes for citations and summaries.

Where there is no general state statute, private employees are left with a patchwork of federal and state statutes that address a wide variety of issues including workplace health and safety, environmental protection, accounting fraud, and discrimination, that also include whistleblower protections. The challenge for employees in these jurisdictions is to find a statute that applies to their particular circumstances.
IV. Montana's Good Cause Rule
The Montana Wrongful Discharge From Employment Act of 1987 (WDEA) created a cause of action for employees who believe that they were terminated without good cause. Although similar legislation has been introduced elsewhere, Montana is so far the only state to have passed a law with such far-reaching effects.

A. Statutory Provisions

The statute prohibits discharge for other than good cause after a designated probationary period and gives the employee the right to challenge a termination in court or before an arbitrator. The statute also limits damages to up to four years of lost wages, including the value of fringe benefits, with interest. See Mont. Code Ann. §§ 39-2-901 through 39-2-915.

B. Legislative History

Beginning in 1982, the Montana Supreme Court made a series of pro-plaintiff decisions that expanded the good faith and fair dealing exception to the at-will employment rule. These decision created uncertainty for employers, and led them to advocate for a more consistent regime. In essence, Montana employers were willing to trade certainty and limitations on damages for constraints on their ability to fire employees at-will.
V. Conclusion
Although both common-law and statutory exceptions to the at-will rule exist, the presumption remains an important feature of the U.S. employment landscape. While an employee may be able to make a variety of claims, they can be hard to prove. In addition, not all claims are recognized in all jurisdictions and judicial interpretations of common law protections may be broadly or narrowly construed. Thus far, Montana is the only state to have completely eliminated the at-will rule.

Additional Resources

Timothy P. Glynn, Rachel S. Arnow-Richman, and Charles A. Sullivan, Employment Law: Private Ordering and Its Limitations (New York: Aspen Publishers, 2007).

Charles J. Muhl, "The Employment-At-Will Doctrine: Three Major Exceptions," Monthly Labor Review (January 2001): 3-11.

Wayne N. Outten, "When Good Deeds Are Punished: The Legal Landscape of Retaliation and Whistleblowing," Litigation and Administrative Practice Course Handbook Series, PLI Order No. 11091 (New York: Practising Law Institute, October 2007).

Glenn R. Solomon, "The Montana Wrongful Discharge From Employment Act, Twenty Years Later ," Glenn Solomon Blog, 2007, http://www.glennsolomonblog.com/Post.shtml.

Katherine V.W. Stone, "Revisiting the At-Will Employment Doctrine: Imposed Terms, Implied Terms, and the Normative World of the Workplace," Industrial Law Journal (March 2007).

Keynen J. Wall, Jr. and Jacqueline Johnson, "Colorado's Lawful Activities Statute: Balancing Employee Privacy and the Rights of Employers," Colorado Lawyer (December 2006).

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Please note NCSL cannot provide advice or assistance to private citizens or businesses regarding employment-related matters. Please consult your state department of labor or a private attorney. I. The At-Will Presumption Employment relationships are presumed to be "at-will" in all U.S. states except Montana. The U.S.

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In Module 6, Slide 2, We learn about serious laws in place that have to do with human resources in businesses. The more severe issue that could arise during employment that is taken care of or discussed with HR is discrimination. The link above is from a government website outlining what employment discrimination is, how to report if you feel you have been discriminated against, and your rights as an employee. An HR representative from the company you are employed with is responsible for never discriminating against employees, or even potential employees, as well as dealing with reports of potential discrimination inside the company workplace as well.

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You may be familiar with the word "discrimination." But do you know what it really means? And do you understand how it applies in the context of your job?

To "discriminate" against someone means to treat that person differently, or less favorably, for some reason. Discrimination can occur while you are at school, at work, or in a public place, such as a mall or subway station. You can be discriminated against by school friends, teachers, coaches, co-workers, managers, or business owners.

The EEOC is responsible for protecting you from one type of discrimination - employment discrimination because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, disability, age (age 40 or older), or genetic information. Other laws may protect you from other types of discrimination, such as discrimination at school.

The laws enforced by EEOC protect you from employment discrimination when it involves:

Unfair treatment because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, disability, age (age 40 or older), or genetic information.

Harassment by managers, co-workers, or others in your workplace, because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, disability, age (age 40 or older), or genetic information.

Denial of a reasonable workplace change that you need because of your religious beliefs or disability.

Improper questions about or disclosure of your genetic information or medical information.

Retaliation because you complained about job discrimination or assisted with a job discrimination proceeding, such as an investigation or lawsuit.

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You may be familiar with the word "discrimination." But do you know what it really means? And do you understand how it applies in the context of your job?

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In Module 6, Slide 1 we learn about Human Resources and the functions and responsibilities it serves a company. The responsibilities of HR in a business include training and development, compensation, general safety and health, labor relations, and hiring and firing. Through the course of the show, Toby, the HR rep, is constantly made fun of for being boring, by the book, and always talking about rules. This is typically how employees see HR managers. Toby is also seen giving presentations about serous HR topics to the employees of Dunder Mifflin.

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This is a link to a wiki for The Office. In Module 5, Slide 2 We learn about departmentalization. This is important for businesses to maintain a good organizational structure as some businesses have different departments within the company that focus on different jobs each employee does for the business/customer. In The Office, at Dunder Mifflin, we see there are a few different departments such as Sales, Accounting, HR, Warehouse, Product Oversight, and Reception. Having employees with similar job descriptions work together in the department and even sit or work near each other physically helps the business run smoother.

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Dunder Mifflin Scranton

Dunder Mifflin Scranton is a branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company that is based out of Scranton, Pennsylvania in Lackawanna County. It is located at 1725 Slough Avenue, Suite 200 in the Scranton Business Park. It is the main setting for the show .

As revealed in " Casino Night", the Dunder Mifflin Scranton warehouse - perhaps including the suite - is on a seven year lease from Beekman Properties. According to Dwight, the lease was on its fourth year at the time, which means the lease will end sometime during the year 2009 if not renewed. However, in " Branch Closing" it was revealed that Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration was going to buy the warehouse.

Current employees

Management

Accounting

Oscar Martinez - Chief Accountant

Dakota - Accountant

Unnamed Man - Accountant

Unnamed Man - Accountant

Human Resources

Product Oversight

Former employees

Michael Scott - Former Regional Manager, Former Sales Representative; quit to move to Colorado and pursue a family with Holly

Martin Nash - Formerly in Supplier Relations (sat opposite Creed)

Hannah Smoterich-Barr - Former Accountant; Complaints and concerns she had for Michael about being a working mother was not resolved so she quit; (sat opposite Meredith)

Kelly Kapoor - Former Customer Service Representative; quit to move to Ohio to be with Ravi.

Madge Madsen - Former warehouse worker; quit after winning the lottery.

Andy Bernard - Former Regional Manager, Former Sales Representative and Regional Director in Charge of Sales; quit to pursue his dream of acting.

Darryl Philbin - Former Warehouse Foreman, Head of Shipping and Distribution and Assistant Regional Manager; quit to work for Athlead

Nellie Bertram - Former Regional Manager and Special Projects Manager; quit for unknown reasons and moved to Poland.

Holly Flax - Former HR Representative; quit to move to Colorado to take care of her father and start a family with Michael

Angela Martin - Former Head of Accounting; quit to become full-time mother after marrying Dwight

Ryan Howard - Former Temp, Former VP of Northeast Sales, quit a few days after Kelly and moved to Ohio for what he claimed were "unrelated reasons".

Roy Anderson - Former Warehouse Staff; fired for trying to assault Jim on company property

Tony Gardner - Fired by Michael while attempting to quit

Todd Packer - Former Traveling Salesman, former unknown job in Tallahassee; fired by Robert California after assuming Vice President role of the Retail Store idea.

Frank - Former Warehouse Staff; fired for attempting to physically assault Pam

Kevin Malone - Former Accountant; fired by Dwight for inability to complete work up to expectations

Toby Flenderson - Former Human Resources; fired by Dwight

Ronni - Former Receptionist; laid off by Michael

Jim Halpert - Former Sales Representative, Assistant Regional Manager, Regional Co-Manager, Regional Manager and Assistant to the Regional Manager; decided to quit in order to move to Austin but was fired by Dwight for the severance.

Pam Halpert - Former Receptionist, Sales Representative and Office Administrator, (briefly) "Secret" Assistant to the Regional Manager to Dwight; quit to join the Michael Scott Paper Company, rehired then decided to quit in order to move to Austin but was fired by Dwight for the severance.

Stanley Hudson - Former Sales Representative, retired and moved to Florida City, Florida.

Ed Truck - Former Regional Manager; was retired for some time, died in Season 3.

Tom Peets - Deceased, committed suicide; Former Accountant

Louanne Kelley - Unknown; disappeared

Marjorie - Unknown; disappeared (possibly Madge).

Pilot Background Employees - Disappeared (or were recast) after the pilot. Unknown; disappeared

Other Stamford Employees - Unknown; disappeared

Deangelo Vickers - Former Regional Manager; forced to leave due to serious head injury

Gabe Lewis - Former Regional Director of Sales of Dunder Mifflin/Sabre; fired when Sabre was bought out

Creed Bratton - Former Acting Regional Manager, Former Head of Quality Assurance; faked his own death after the documentary aired and was eventually arrested.

Office layout

The Office is rearranged at times due to additional employees or employee relations. This is the layout as of " Michael's Last Dundies"

Pam's desk was designed to be round so she could swivel to look at any point in the office. Dwight and Jim's desks are angled relative to each other, rather than facing each other. Jim's desk does not face Pam's, but Pam can look directly at Jim. This means that Jim has to make a conscious choice to look at Pam, and he is either unaware that she's looking at him, or at least pretending to be unaware. It also allowed for shots to be framed so that both of their faces are visible. The show did take liberty to remove the partitions between desks, so that everyone could see each other.

Realistically, the layout of the office doesn't change much throughout the series:

Two desks are added in "The Merger":

One is added to Jim and Dwight's desk clump. His usual place occupied by Ryan, Jim takes it.

Another is added to Phyllis and Stanley's desk clump. The new desk is occupied first by Karen, then by Andy, then by Cathy, and finally by Nellie.

Jim's new desk is removed in "Fun Run", following Ryan's promotion and temporary departure from Scranton.

It is added back and occupied by Pam starting with "Casual Friday".

In "The Promotion", a new office is built where Creed and Devon's desk clump used to be. Creed takes Ryan's old place, facing Meredith. The office in question is used first by Jim, then by Darryl.

Changes in employees of Dunder Mifflin Scranton

Behind the scenes

To get the writers familiar with the set, Greg Daniels told them to take a half hour and sit at each of the employee's desks to get a sense of what it would be like to work there. What can they see? What would it be like to be secretly in love with someone whom you can only glimpse out of the corner of your eye? What's it like for Michael, disconnected from all the activity in the bullpen and desperately wanting to know what everyone is talking about?:14:13

On the set, the temperature was usually around 65°F. This is to counteract the heat generated by the lights and other equipment, and to cool the male actors who are wearing business suits. The women kept themselves warm with hidden heaters and blankets.:32:10

The computers on the set were functional and starting in Season 2 had working Internet connections. Actors would play online games or deal with personal tasks on the computers between scenes.

For legal reasons, the computer screens could show only the Dunder Mifflin wallpaper, fake office documents and email, and (for some reason) the game FreeCell.

Oscar's computer was the only one with sound.

The windows are all angled slightly downward, to avoid creating unwanted reflections. Photo

Desk photos

References

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Dunder Mifflin Scranton is a branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company that is based out of Scranton, Pennsylvania in Lackawanna County. It is located at 1725 Slough Avenue, Suite 200 in the Scranton Business Park. It is the main setting for the show The Office.

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In Module 5, Slide 1, We read about organizations having a common purpose. I thought this article from the Walt Disney Company was interesting, as it highlights the difference, and importance, of general business goals, mission statements, and the Common Purpose. One of the most important parts to me was that a Common Purpose may never be fully fulfilled, and that is okay. It gives companies a reason to keep striving and keep making changes to get better.

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The Disney Institute Team, Blog Editor, Disney Institute

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Mission Versus Purpose: What’s The Difference? | Disney Institute Blog

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Last year, Harvard Business Review published an interesting article, Your Company’s Purpose Is Not Its Mission, Vision or Values, in which the au...

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In Module 5, Slide 2, We learn about different types of organizational structures. One unique structure type is Geography. Starbucks, the previously mentioned Coffee chain, serves customers worldwide. Due to the fact that there are many different ways of life, rules, regulations, and preferences in many different countries, Starbucks functions geographically. Their geographic structure is broken down into 3 segments, the Americas, China, and the Asia-Pacific, and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Each segment may have its own leader in charge and set of policies for the stores under the segment to follow.

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In Module 5, Slide 3, We learn the Greiner Model Curve. It is believed that every company goes through similar stages as they grow and expand. I found this article, on LinkedIn, that explains the model, and also adds one additional sixth step our text does not review. The additional step is Growth through Alliances. This means companies may reach a point where they have grown all they can and may now look to other companies to partner with. Things like Alliances can happen when one business acquires another through a merger, popularly seen recently as T-Mobile acquired sprint. The sixth step may not be applicable to every business unless they reach a point where they cannot grow anymore and get acquired or must acquire another to grow.

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Part of being a strategic learning and development team is having a plan for not just today's business needs, but also of the needs of the business moving forward. Good thing, from an L&D perspective, that's not as hard as it sounds.

"Organizations actually grow and change in predictable ways, moving through various stages of development, and your learning strategy needs to align accordingly," L&D consultant Britt Andreatta said in her LinkedIn Learning course, Organizational Learning and Development.

Specifically, organizations go through six stages as they mature, outlined in the Greiner Curve. By identifying what stage your organization is in, you can both better understand what learning is the most critical for your organization right now, and plan for the future, Andreatta said.

What is the Greiner Curve?

The Greiner Curve was created by Larry Greiner, a professor at USC's Marshall School of Business. Through his research, he identified the the Greiner Growth Model, which describes six phases organizations go through as they mature.

While an organization is within a stage, it's a time of relative stability. However, every stage inevitably leads to a crisis point, which forces the organization to transform. Learning plays a vital role in helping leaders and employees make these transitions successfully.

It's worth noting that organizations go through these phases at very different speeds. For example, a large financial institution might go through them much slower than a high-growth tech company. By identifying what stage your organization is in, you can uncover what learnings are most essential and also be prepared for what learnings will be needed in the near future as well.

The first stage of organizations: Growth Through Creativity

When organizations first start, people wear many hats and communication is spontaneous and informal. But, as the organization gets bigger, it leads to the crisis point of leadership where professional management needs to be broadened to help run the various functions.

The key skill needed to progress to the next stage: To advance to stage two, the organization's founders need to go from more hands-on doers to leaders, and start to hire or develop other senior leaders.

The second stage of organizations: Growth Through Direction

As the organization grows, new executives are brought in to manage various functions and the organization continues to develop new products and services. At some point, again, months to decades later, the scale of the offerings gets too big for the leadership team to monitor.

That creates the crisis point of autonomy, where work and authority needs to be delegated to others.

The key skill needed to progress to the next stage: To advance to stage three, the organization needs to either develop or hire strong managers to help run different parts of the organization.

The third stage of organizations: Growth Through Delegation

In the third stage, layers of hierarchy are added. Top management become less involved in the day-to-day details and focuses more on the organization's long-term strategy.

In addition, the sheer size of the organization starts to stress the current policies and channels of communication. That creates the crisis point of control, where the different parts of the organization need to work better together.

The key skill needed to progress to the next stage: To advance to stage four, the organization needs to standardize its procedures to allow it to scale.

The fourth stage of organizations: Growth Through Coordination

In the fourth phase, new policies and procedures are introduced to bring structure throughout the organization. At first, this effort is helpful in bringing stability and consistency to the broader scope of the organization.

However, this leads to the inevitable crisis point of red tape, where bureaucracy gets burdensome.

The key skill needed to progress to the next stage: To advance to stage five, the organization needs to double-down on developing great people managers and begin to free up its procedures to allow for more autonomy.

The fifth stage of organizations: Growth Through Collaboration

In the fifth stage, a range of scalable and agile systems that support more flexibility replaces bureaucracy. Instead of a rigid system for making decisions, emotionally intelligent leaders are trusted to use good judgment.

While initially successful, this leads to the crisis point of internal growth, where the organization must look outside for new opportunities.

The key skill needed to progress to the next stage: To advance to stage six, the organization needs to create a culture based on collaboration and emotional intelligence.

The sixth stage of organizations: Growth Through Alliances

In the final stage, the organization can only solve its challenges by partnering with other organizations through actions like outsourcing, mergers and acquisitions. All of this expansion ultimately creates the crisis point of identity, where the organization must refocus on its vision, mission and strategy.

The key skill needed to progress to the next stage: Here, the organization needs to reinvent its vision and mission and partner with organizations that best further that.

Tying it together

There's a good chance part of your organization is in one stage, while other parts are in other stages. What's important is for you to determine what stage each part of your organization is in, and create learning programs that respond to it.

The good news is this framework should make things a lot easier. Andreatta recommended identifying what stage your organization is in, so you can better understand what skills are critical for your organization to master now, and what skills it'll need to master in the near future.

And that'll allow you to develop a more strategic L&D team, where you are proactively solving issues, instead of reacting to them.
Want to learn more about how to become a more strategic L&D pro? Watch Britt Andreatta's free course, Organizational Learning and Development.

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Greiner Curve, 6 Stages Organizations Goes Through as They Mature

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Part of being a strategic learning and development team is having a plan for not just today's business needs, but also of the needs of the business moving forward. Good thing, from an L&D perspective, that's not as hard as it sounds.

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In Module 4 we learned about planning and how essential it is to businesses to create and achieve goals. Slide 1, Drawbacks of planning explains how rigid planning could inhibit growth, with the example of Ford missing a monumental opportunity. It is imperative to remember the business plan must be flexible. The plan should be a living document, in which it is revisited and changed or updated often. As Dwight says- Okay. New plan.

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To reinforce learning, I researched real companies' SWOT analysis examples, as we learned SWOT, PESTEL, and Porter's Five Forces in Module 4, Slides 5 and 6. These planning tools assist businesses with identifying strengths and weaknesses both internally and externally, ultimately aiding them in creating or updating a plan for the company. Zara is a clothing retailer and its SWOT analysis is presented above. What I found most interesting was the "weakness", of their zero advertising policy. This is clearly a specific weakness, or challenge, Zara has, as not many businesses have this type of policy. This illustrates how helpful SWOT can be, as it is completely tailored to the business and its needs.

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While researching The Rational Decision-Making Process, I found this article on a learning site that was helpful. Using all of the steps of the process, I present a workplace struggle and decision:
1. Identify the problem- Agents at work are utilizing 'after-call work' inappropriately, which is becoming a waste of time and resources.
2. Establish decision criteria- Agents should be monitored and reported on to reduce after-call work time. Reporting the after-call work should assist with establishing new limits and identifying weaknesses with no adjustment for additional resources needed.
3. Weigh decision criteria- Adding a new monitored metric may stress employees, but also could improve other stats from an employee, and bring better service to our cardholders.
4. Generate alternatives- Instead of adding a new metric, supervisors could monitor their direct reports' after-call work time, management can search for outliers, we can establish a general rule, we can get rid of after-call work altogether, or continue to randomly monitor after-call work time.
5. Evaluate alternatives- Supervisors currently monitor outliers after-call work time however it can vary greatly and adds more work to supervisors' load. We cannot get rid of after-call work time or there will be serious error impacts from agents. Establishing a rule without monitoring does not hold accountability, and we have noticed a need for change.
6. Select the best alternative- The best decision to deal with after-call work time issues is to add the after-call work average to the monthly metrics board. Each agent is responsible for their own average, as with other stats, and should not be hard to maintain as long as the agent is not misusing the after-call work code.

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Module 4, Slide 2, Decision Making, We learn about different barriers to decision making which include the above biases we all have and must actively work against to make good decisions for the business.

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Module 4, Slide 7 "Decision Making", We learn how to manage group decision making. In the Season 5 episode of The Office, "Surplus", The branch has a surplus and Michael (the manager) cannot decide how to spend the funds. He then chooses to leave the decision up to the group of employees. In the episode, We see michael and the employees struggle to make a decision and agree, what we learned is one of the most common downfalls of group decision making. The entire office wasted a whole days worth of time trying to make a decision, to which they could not agree. The employees also began to argue, and thus affective conflict, which is not helpful for solving the issue of making a decision. Sometimes, group decision making just does not work out.

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No, no, no. I want you to make the decision so I'm not the bad guy.

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The Office (2005) - S05E09 The Surplus clip with quote No, no, no. I want you to make the decision so I'm not the bad guy. Yarn is the best search for video clips by quote. Find the exact moment in a TV show, movie, or music video you want to share.

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My own Dunder Mifflin Inc. Global Supply Chain

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Module 3, Slide 6, We learn the different global business strategies and their uses. I created a new chart to help reinforce my learning of the strategies and researched examples of businesses I may know using the various strategies.

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Module 3, Slide 2 We learn the key characteristics of globalization. When many different countries and regions trade various things with each other, it makes sense to ensure there is a common governing body for the trades so that it remains fair to all involved. I researched the World Trade Organization as it is the most common/used/recognized governing body for world trade. Created in 1995, and based out of Switzerland, the WTO functions as a bureaucracy, overseeing many trade agreements and policies, and no singular person makes a decision for all. The WTO is essential to making globalization for business to function, to ensure they are still profitable and able to make fair trades.

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What is the WTO?

Who we are
The WTO has many roles: it operates a global system of trade rules, it acts as a forum for negotiating trade agreements, it settles trade disputes between its members and it supports the needs of developing countries.

What we do
All major decisions are made by the WTO's member governments: either by ministers (who usually meet at least every two years) or by their ambassadors or delegates (who meet regularly in Geneva).

What we stand for
A number of simple, fundamental principles form the foundation of the multilateral trading system.

Overview
The primary purpose of the WTO is to open trade for the benefit of all.

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Decision-making

Organization chart
The WTO's top decision-making body is the Ministerial Conference. Below this is the General Council and various other councils and committees.
Current WTO chairpersons

Ministerial conferences
Ministerial conferences usually take place every two years.

General Council
The General Council is the top day-to-day decision-making body. It meets a number of times a year in Geneva.

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Membership

Members and observers
The WTO has over 160 members representing 98 per cent of world trade. Over 20 countries are seeking to join the WTO.

Accessions
To join the WTO, a government has to bring its economic and trade policies in line with WTO rules and negotiate its terms of entry with the WTO membership.

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WTO Secretariat

The WTO has approximately 650 staff on its regular budget.

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Budget

The WTO derives most of the income for its annual budget from contributions by its members. These contributions are based on a formula that takes into account each member's share of international trade.

Find out more

Director-General

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the seventh Director-General of the WTO. She took office on 1 March 2021, becoming the first woman and the first African to serve as Director-General. Her term of office will expire on 31 August 2025.

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The WTO building

The WTO is housed in the historic Centre William Rappard building. A new building was added in 2013.

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Procurement at the WTO

The WTO Procurement Section is responsible for obtaining, in a timely and cost-effective manner, goods and services which meet the needs of the organization.

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The WTO and other organizations

Cooperation between multilateral institutions on global economic policy-making.

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Annual report

The WTO Annual Report provides a comprehensive overview of WTO activities over the past year and includes information on the WTO's budget and staffing.

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Jobs in the WTO

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General enquiries, publications, the website. Also copyright and trademark statements.

Find out more

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The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the worlds trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.

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Module 3, Slide 3, Explains and provides an example of a Global Supply Chain. I used the example of start to customer, of a T-shirt, that was provided in the reading, and put it in a flow chart to better visualize the process. From beginning, just cotton, to the making process, to the delivery to the customer, even to the end recycled excess.

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In Module 3, Slide 1, We learned types of Global Trade Policies. One item that was new information to me, was the Regional trade agreement, NAFTA, between the US, Mexico, and Canada, was recently replaced with USMCA. Regional trade agreements are just as important as Global trade agreements because of how often neighboring countries trade with each other, and how easy it is to do so. Of course trades between countries needs to be regulated and monitored, and the governments have signed the USMCA to help the US, Mexico, and Canada trade with more ease. Linked here are some key differences between NAFTA and USMCA, specifically, updated tariff information. As we learned, tariffs are important to all countries participating in a trade because tariffs are the cost to do said trade. I enjoyed researching the USMCA trade agreement, and was happy to read many things, specifically food like those listed on the link, are tariff free, which in turn helps the citizens of both (or all) countries in the trade.

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International Trade Administration | Trade.gov

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Find important information regarding tariffs, certification of origin, de minimis, and rules of origin.

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As previously mentioned, Starbucks is notably great at sustainability. From coffee bean to refills, starbucks always has the planet in mind. They source their coffee beans ethically, no matter the region they are from, as well as their new goal to have ethically sourced dairy. The company even donates coffee trees to be grown and sourced ethically. Starbucks also offers customers ways they can easily help the planet. The company offers discounts for customers that bring their own cup to use, to not waste paper products, and offers discounts on refills while in the shop to use less paper products as well. Other small things Starbucks does to practice sustainability include offering electric vehicle charging stations at their store, changing menu items to be dairy free, or plant based, and vowing to continuously reduce their carbon footprint.

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In Module 2, Slide 1, We learn what CSR is, and an excerpt at the bottom discusses CSR vs Sustainability. The CSR learning is a little confusing to me, as it really is quite often confused with sustainability. Attached is Starbucks prior year Environmental and Social Impact Report, which businesses and industries use to determine how well a companies CSR is. As an example, this is why I struggle to learn CSR. I don't believe Starbucks has a great CSR platform, more so, they have great practices with sustainability. Part of CSR for companies is practicing Ethical Labor. Starbucks has recently and often been in the news for employee strikes, attempts for unions, and unsafe working conditions. After our readings, this is clearly not practicing ethical labor, or CSR. One thing Starbucks is notably great at is Sustainability.

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This summary shows our progress in fiscal 2021, including achievements and highlights from the year, partner stories and our work to come. Download and view the full report here.

Twenty years ago, in our first Corporate Social Responsibility report, we shared, "Starbucks has the opportunity to lead by example. Our responsibility starts with being accountable to Starbucks stakeholders - our partners, customers, shareholders, suppliers, community members and others - communicating openly about our business practices and performance."

Starbucks has always been a different kind of company - one deep with purpose, where we work together to create a positive impact in the world. We pursue ambitious goals for our partners, our communities and our planet with intention, transparency and accountability.

As we report on the company's environmental and social impact in FY21, we are proud of the progress we have made and we remain rooted in the belief that we can lead through the lens of humanity, far beyond the pursuit of profit. This report outlines the goals we have set and highlights the impact we can have together - when we uplift our partners, when we connect with our customers and our communities, and when we remain accountable to each other.

Our company, like many, is also facing new realities in a changed world - the continued effects of COVID-19, heightened social and political unrest, efforts to unionize and stakeholders who seek new accountability from businesses. At times, we have fallen short of our ambitions. But we remain transparent about our missteps, while still rising to meet the opportunities ahead of us through our Mission and Values - and always with the aspiration to exceed the expectations of our partners and customers.

Together, with direct, open and transparent conversation and collaboration we will restore trust in each other, reimagine Starbucks and co-create our future.

A future where our people and our communities are never left behind, but always propelled forward. A future where our planet is cared for and we create value not only for our company, but for the collective success of all our stakeholders.

It is our role and our responsibility, together.

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2021 Starbucks Global Environmental and Social Impact Report

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This summary shows our progress in fiscal 2021, including achievements and highlights from the year, partner stories and our work to come. Download and view the full report here. Twenty years ago, in our first Corporate Social Responsibility report, we shared, "Starbucks has the opportunity to lead by example.

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When reading about the different levels and types of managers, I thought it would be interesting to locate my works organization chart to see just where I fell as far as middle manager/ ceo and etc. The organization chart on our company site included more information, however I did not want to share because I wanted to respect privacy, so I made my own! As you can see, I am quite low on the branches, not even really considered a " middle manager". And, as we learned, even the lowest tiers are still really important to keep the business functioning.

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In Module 1, Slide 4, we review the skills managers need to be successful. Technical skills, conceptual skills, and human skills are all listed in our reading. I shared this article from Indeed, the most popular job searching site currently, on what they think are key skills needed to be a good manager. All of the 21 skills listed seem to fit into one of the three main categories listed from our reading. It's a great article to read, especially if you're thinking of becoming a manager, or are a manager and want to make sure you are utilizing your skill sets properly.

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Your Ray ID for this request is 98d112f068c3b4c6

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In the module we discussed some differences between top level managers, like CEOs, and low level/ non managerial roles, and how even regular company employees are essential to making the business run. Realistically, if the top level manager aka CEO were to go on a very long vacation, all of the middle and lower managers can help keep the business running, however, if all of the lower managers and even employees all decide to take a long vacation, the company just could not run with only the CEO. In addition, I just love the office. Its my favorite show. :)

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Henry Fayol, The administrative theory in the state, 1923, p. 102S

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Module 1, Page 5, We review the birth of modern management, from Henri Fayol and his "14 principles of management". I found this quote from his writings and I really agreed with it. In basics, Fayol is saying how and how well employees work is clearly important, but even more important is the management of said employees, which is so accurate, even today. Managers managing well can help a poor employee become great, and even more helps contribute overall to the business than just a single employee.

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In Module 2, Slide 6, We learned about Code of Ethics and the Whistleblower Protection, under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In regards to Ethics, every single employee, no matter if it's the CEO or the lowest employee, is essential and responsible for upholding the Code of Ethics. Whistleblower protection is very important because without anything protecting employees, there is no reason for any employee to speak- especially with the risk of being fired for retaliation. I attached an article of a recent (2020) whistleblower case, which was so shocking to me. The accusations turned out to be founded, meaning the business did actually bill patients for unnecessary things, and the Whistleblower, as well as the Government, and state programs, were awarded with claim funds. Ethics is truly important and I love that this has been enacted to allow employees to behave ethically and not push things aside out of fear.

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Universal Health Services, Inc. And Related Entities To Pay $122 Million To Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating To Medically Unnecessary Inpatient Behavioral Health Services And Illegal Kickbacks

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Universal Health Services, Inc., UHS of Delaware, Inc. (together, UHS), and Turning Point Care Center, LLC (Turning Point), a UHS facility located in Moultrie, Georgia, have agreed to pay a combined total of $122 million to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act for billing…

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Couldn't resist sharing another office related artifact. This however is an example of how management should NOT address diversity. Diversity should be celebrated and is not constricted to a persons/people demographic background. Diversity can and should be celebrated for yes, different backgrounds, races, heritage, but also different lifestyles, religions, gender, all of that. The way Michael (the office manager celebrating diversity day) goes about speaking with his employees about diversity is quite stereotypical and not very appropriate.

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Watch The Office Highlight: Diversity Day - NBC.com

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Watch The Office highlight ‘Diversity Day’ on NBC.com

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In our readings, Module 2, Slide 8, We read about Organizational and Company culture. Interestingly enough, the slide compared Google and Apple company cultures. I was really interested in this because I used to work for Apple for 4 years before my current job. This article I shared mirrors some of my feelings about the Company Culture at apple. Reading about the company on their website or glassdoor, you would find that Apple is very dedicated to Diversity and Culture. In reality, it is a different story. The article above is very accurate, the basis of the company culture is secrecy. When thinking about company culture and values, isn't that the opposite of what we have learned so far? The many NDA's, the complete lack of work/life balance, and the general lack of diversity especially in regards to gender did not make for a good company culture. The organizational culture was opposite, oddly enough. Organizational culture is important to a business because it creates a sense of "sameness" for both employees and customers. All employees shared the same values and customers could expect the same service and knowledge from each employee they encountered, creating customer loyalty. Applying the knowledge I have about Apple, relating to our Module, Slide 9, I am torn on whether Apple is "Aggressive" or "Outcome Oriented". I lean towards the company being Outcome Oriented because their main goal is to get customers to buy their products, and they absolutely succeed at that. On the other hand, Apple is Aggressive. Apple always has and will have an enemy in Samsung, their main rival for their mobile devices. As an employee of Apple, you are trained to learn and research competitor devices and procedures so you can explain to customers how we are better. Apple may be a little bit of both of these Organizational Culture Profiles.

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How I survived and thrived in Apple’s legendary environment of super-secrecy

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Post-Apple, when I started my own company, Inkling, I chose radical openness and transparency.