Week 1 Assignment:
- Introductions
- Syllabus Review
- Course Overview
- Expectations
Assignment Specifics:
Have a look at Fortune’s list of 100 best companies to work for in America. http://fortune.com/best-companies/
1. Research at least two of the companies on the list — one in the hospitality industry, and one in a different industry.
2. Write a summary paragraph about each of the two companies. Include: name of the company, its industry; what makes it such a good company to work for. (This section should be 2 paragraphs.)
3. Write one paragraph comparing the two different companies’ approaches to keeping employees/associates happy and productive.
Week 2 Assignment
Module 1: Creating a Great Workplace
- Employee wellness
- Characteristic of desirable workplace environments
- Designing your life (part one)
Writing Assignment:
1. Listen to two podcasts from well-known restauranteurs: 1. Eric Ripert (Tim Ferriss Interviews him here), and 2. Alex Guanachelli (Russ Roberts interviews her here). These are two excellent interviews, and the podcasts are long, but totally worth listening to.
2. Write a one-paragraph summary of each interview, including the name of the podcast, the interviewer, and the interviewee and what he/she does in the hospitality industry. Focus on significant details about what each is doing to create a great workplace, while continuing to build great restaurants. (This section should be 2 paragraphs.)
3. Analyze the approach each has taken in a concluding paragraph, adding your own views on whether their efforts are worthwhile.
Week 3 Assignment
Module 1 (cont.): Creating a Great Workplace
- Perception and individual decision-making
- Fundamental attribution bias
- Self-serving bias
- Ethics
- Addressing and managing ethical dilemmas
Writing Assignment:
Imagine it is ten years from now. You are in a position of authority within the hospitality industry. You have no obstacles that prevent you from having created a great workplace. Associates and colleagues and industry leaders praise the work you have done to create such an excellent workplace. Describe what you have done to create this workplace. Be as specific as possible.
Week 4 Assignment
Module 1 (cont.): Creating a Great Workplace
- Fundamental Attribution Bias & Self-Serving Bias
- Values, attitudes and job satisfaction
- Employee motivation
- Employee development
- Rewards and recognition
- Basic motivation concepts
- Assessing employee satisfaction
- Performance appraisals
- Goal Setting
Written Assignment
Our perceptions may seem “real,” but they are generally biased. Analyzing how our perceptions shape our thinking — for good and for bad — is crucial. We must understand the processes through which we make sense of information we receive, and how these processes affect our judgments about the people and events around us.
This week’s assignment will focus on two biases that distort our thinking: Fundamental attribution bias and Self-serving bias.
1. Watch the following videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jBAetCVYwc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m6VcfivQC0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DoARSlv-HUÂ (this is a funny video from Seinfeld. Can you identify which bias this short skit illustrates?)
2. Write a 1 paragraph summary on each of the two biases we are studying this week.
3. Write a 1-2 paragraph analysis of each, using examples in your own life (home, school, or work) that demonstrates your understanding of each bias.
4. Write a concluding paragraph that summarizes your thinking on this subject.
(This paper should be approximately 1-2 pages.)
