In 1983, Starbucks founder Howard Schultz traveled to Italy, where he was impressed with the popularity of espresso bars. He developed a plan to popularize the coffee bar culture in America, starting in Seattle, under the Starbucks name. Throughout the 1990s and the beginning of the new millenium, Starbucks expanded aggressively and globally. To better handle international growth, in 2000, Howard Schultz transitioned from chairman and CEO to chairman and chief global strategist. In 2004, the company had over 8,000 store locations and more than 70,000 employees. In 2005, Starbucks was Number 2 on the "Fortune 100 Best Large Companies to Work For" list.
Explore the site in detail to prepare a two-page report indicating your responses to the following questions. Based on Starbucks' mission statement, what is the company's view towards employees? Describe the Starbucks benefits package. How is it unique from a typical benefits package, and how do you think it benefits and hinders the company?
Internet Exercise
Human resources management—from strategic management to performance appraisal to managing an effective workforce—has become one of the most challenging and complex areas of management. Once relegated to the backburner of managerial interest and concern, it is now at the forefront as companies realize that human beings are not just human doings, but also people with the ability to be loyal if managed in ways in which they feel a part of the organization. Otherwise, they can leave and take their brainpower and skills with them. Companies are slowly realizing that employees are not just costs, but also assets that must be 'cost out' as to their monetary value along with the capital assets of a firm. Think about the merger of Germany's Daimler and America's Chrysler. Human skills, knowledge, and abilities were clearly part of the deal as well as the capital assets.
While organizations are seeking the best and the brightest to be part of their workforce, individuals searching for a job also need to know more about what they want from the organization prior to committing to a decision as to whom to work for and which career to follow.
The purpose of the exercise is to give you a better understanding of the type of career you're seeking, the type of organization you'd like to be a part of, and what exactly it is you want out of your career search. The Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University, in the heart of Silicon Valley, California, has developed a very complete self-assessment for the beginning of any 'successful job search.' Go to the following site and follow the instructions for filling out the various sections from a career management cycle to a Career Path Checkup and lots more. The site is http://lsb.scu.edu/mba_careers/self_assessment.htm. You may want to complete it in one time period or revisit it periodically during the semester or during your career. Some of the questions are directed to MBAs so you may skip those unless you are thinking of pursuing an MBA and then you can respond to them hypothetically.
If you are interested in a career in Human Resources, http://www.workforce.com is an excellent site to use. It is the site of Workforce (formerly the Personnel Journal), a journal for working professionals in the field of human resources. There is also Society for Human Resources Management or SHRM at http://www.SHRM.org. Both are excellent sources of information in general about Human Resources and careers in its various fields.
Questions for Discussion
What might be different about your career than that of your parents and grandparents? Describe and explain.
How much importance do you think that our society places on having a career? Explain.
Have you researched the career you think you want or have you just assumed you will like it? Explain.
