Christian SalazarUH ID: 0979809Chapter 2: Case Studies 1 and 2Case 1: This case is about a small retail marketing company that hires an HR manager to help structure the company because its growing and really needs HR functions and overall structure for the business to thrive successfully. 1. How are Gratterpalms new HR activities driving business growth for the company?The reason Gratterpalms new HR activities are driving business growth for the company is because of many factors. Just the fact that the company now has HR activities whereas it had none in the past is a big change. The company surveys, child care vouchers, flexible working opportunities, including clients in the recruiting process, employees reaching out to the community by reading to primary school children, recycling, establishing links with charities, and so forth are major contributions for the business growth for the company. Also the fact that employee turnover has been reduced by half, an 8% increase in employee attendance, and Gratterpalm becoming well known within the industry is evidence of how the new HR activities are driving business growth exponentially. 2. Why are “basic” HR functions sometimes difficult for small firms to execute? How can they improve their capacity to successfully implement HR programs?The reason why ‘basic’ HR functions are sometimes difficult for small firms to execute is because many small firms do not have the money or leaders within the firms willing to adapt to change and sacrifice their time to analyze the firm’s structure and how it can be better improved. They can improve their capacity to successfully implement HR programs by conducting an internal analysis to address the firm’s strengths and weaknesses by looking at their capabilities, composition, and culture. If they have no HR activities the firm needs to begin implementing them by hiring the necessary resources to do so otherwise the firm has no chances for real growth. 3. Why does it take time to see the results of HR activities?Christian SalazarUH ID: 0979809It takes time to see the result of HR activities because HR activities take time for the effect to take place depending on the type of organization. HR activities include the planning and the use of strategies for any organization. Also these activities include analyzing all areas of the organization and where the organization has to do a lot of forecasting things like supply and demand, labor, supply analysis, and plan for the future.Once the organization has taken many of these steps and ideas into action is when the HR activities can see results. Case 2: This case is about the bank Capital One and how it has to strip $700 million out of the company’s operating costs in two years. The company used extensive workforce planning from all levels of the organization to work on achieving this goal. 1. Why do you think it’s important for Capitol One to calculate the “disengagement” factor of its employees when it comes to workforce planning? I think it’s important for Capitol One to calculate the “disengagement” factor of its employees when it comes to workforce planning because even though Schuler states that the cost of disengagement is difficult to quantity and that business leaders intuitively understand the cost. Just by using intuition is not enough, the company needsreal numbers in finding out the real cost of disengagement of employees. Employees that are disempowered, disengaged, and not sufficiently busy in the end equals loss of money to the company. If Capitol One wants workforce planning to truly be effective andaccurate, the disengagement factor of its employees must be included in its workforce planning. 2. What merits do you see to breaking down the planning process by business units through multiple layers of leaders? Do you see any drawbacks of doing so?Christian SalazarUH ID: 0979809Breaking down the planning process by business units through multiple layers of leaders is effective and a smart thing to do. Just look at the military and how it uses hierarchy and span of control. You have your Officers and your NCO’S working together and then from your highest level of officer (Generals) and NCO (Command Sergeant Major) all the way down to your privates at the lowest ranking. The use of companies, brigades, sections and so forth show how the breaking down of the planning process by business units through multiple layers of leaders is proven successful. I guess the only drawback I see to this would be the cost associated with doing this or some leaders not wanting to work together since they don’t understand how other sections work. Also time could be a factor. Otherwise, the breaking down of the planning process is a great method to