Module 1 – Case

MANAGING INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR

Assignment Overview

Clear organizational goals can drive employee efforts throughout the organization. So can the organization’s values. Quicken Loans was named number 5 in Fortune Magazine’s 2014 rankings for 100 Best Companies to Work For in America (up from 13^th place in 2013). Why? In part because it is a values-driven firm with strong corporate goals that translate into how work gets done on a daily basis.

Read about Quicken Loans in the following research report:

Quicken Loans. (2015) In Great Places to Work. Retrieved from http://us.greatrated.com/quicken-loans

Now, check out the Quicken Loans website to get a look at the company from and “official” point of view. (Scroll down to “Why you should use Quicken Loans.”)

Quicken Loans: About us. (2015) Retrieved from http://www.quickenloans.com/about

Be sure to click on the link to “Our Values.”

Case Assignment

In a 4- to 5-page essay, answer the following questions:

• How do Quicken Loan’s corporate values and goals concerning employees, customers, and the business combine to create job satisfaction and motivate the people who work there?
• Is this a model every business should adopt?

The following may help you address these questions:

From the OPN Website:

Organizational Goals Can Be Powerful Energizers. (n.d.). U.S. Office of Personnel Management.http://www.opm.gov/perform/articles/2000/apr00-7.asp

Keys to the Assignment

The key aspects of this assignment that should be covered in your paper include:

• Define the problem: What are Quicken Loans’ key goals and values? Do additional research about working at Quicken Loans to get more than just the company’s view from its website. For example, the site “Glass Door” contains pro-and-con reviews of a number of companies by current and former employees. (Note: Do not use Wikipedia as a cited source. It is acceptable to use Wikipedia as a starting point to get background information, but always verify the information from a more reliable source.)
• Analyze the cause: To analyze the effect Quicken Loans’ goals and values on job satisfaction and motivation, use the Employee Satisfaction Model, and/or the Job Characteristics Model (from the Background materials) in formulating your answer.
• Propose a solution: Be sure to defend your answer in terms of the model you selected in Question 2 of the assignment. The “why” is more important than the “what.”

Assignment Expectations

Your paper will be evaluated using the following five (5) criteria:

• Assignment-Driven Criteria (Precision and Breadth): Does the paper fully address all Keys to the Assignment? Are the concepts behind the Keys to the Assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound logic? Does the paper meet minimum length requirements?
• Critical Thinking (Critical Thinking and Depth): Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which information derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically evaluated and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does the paper address the topic with sufficient depth of discussion and analysis?
• Business Writing (Clarity and Organization): Is the paper well written (clear, developed logically, and well organized)? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are section headings included in all papers? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding to the Keys to the Assignment, or is justification/support instead conveyed through excessive use of direct quotations?
• Effective Use of Information (Information Literacy and References): Does the paper demonstrate that the student has read, understood and can apply the background materials for the module? If required, has the student demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by student’s use of relevant and quality (library?) sources? Do additional sources used in paper provide strong support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the overall paper?
• Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate understanding of APA Style of referencing, by inclusion of proper end references and in-text citations (for paraphrased text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have all sources (e.g., references used from the Background page, the assignment readings, and outside research) been included, and are these properly cited? Have all end references been included within the body of the paper as in-text citations?

Tips and Suggestions

Please note the following tips and suggestions:

• Include a cover page and reference page in addition to the 4–5 pages of analysis described above.
• You are expected to demonstrate that you have read, understood, and can apply the required background readings for this module in your answer to this case. Be sure to read the required readings carefully, and use the theories and arguments you learn from them to support your analysis.
• Include headings for all papers longer than two pages (basically all papers).
• Cite and reference all sources that you use in your work, including those that you do not quote but paraphrase. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes of more than five words, and include citations for information that you have “borrowed” or paraphrased from other sources.
• Follow TUI Guidelines for well-written papers. (If you are unsure of what those guidelines are, seeStudent Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper).

Turn in your 4- to 5-page essay by the end of the module.