Your research paper is based on the following scenario:
You have just taken over as a Shift Supervisor at Fast Fleet Shoes Manufacturing and have a team of 30 under you. Your educational and training level is exactly what you have today.
Your teams rotate shifts every 3 weeks and there are two shifts, morning, 0700-3:30 PM and evening, 3PM to 11:30PM. You have the flexibility to move people around shifts, and you stay on the same shift, with overlap (i.e. your hours are 9-6). Two co-leads take over when you are not there and stay on shifts with their workers.
The previous supervisor was let go for cause, failure to meet quotas and leadership inability. The department’s morale is very low and there is a great deal of pressure for your shift to perform.
On top of this, there is a problem with some of your employees, one is always late and the other calls in sick frequently (you can decide what factors lead to their absenteeism). The previous supervisor never did anything about this and everyone knew it was an issue. One of your co-leads has brought it to your attention and wants to know when you are going to fix it.
You also have an employee that has been there for 14 years and has never been promoted to co-lead or supervisor. He came to you and wants to know why? He is an older worker and knows what he is doing, however, one of your co-leads told you that some of the younger workers grumble that he is too slow and can’t learn new technology. He also stated that unless he gets the opportunity to move up, he’ll quit and make sure that management knows you never gave him a chance.
Finally, there is a brand new worker, a single mother, who is super sharp and a very hard worker. She told you on your first day there how much she loves working at the company and wants to progress upward. However, childcare is an issue and sometimes she needs to leave early. Currently no one does any work from home (your organization has not embraced it as a culture), however, in her position (she is inventory control) she feels she can perform this just as effectively from home several days a week and ask you if this is possible? What is your response?
You are to develop a solution to present to each of your co-leads on how to start fixing some of these issues. Make the paper informative.
This can be a narrative paper, informative paper, a letter (albeit a long one) or a talking paper. You can use the first person to discuss what you think needs to be done. You can also assign tasks or take tasks away from co-leaders.
Your supervisor, co-leads, and workers can have fictional names, you can add in additional issues or factors and most of all, have fun and be creative in developing this workplace. Your co-leads can be good or bad at their job, you can decide how little or much you want to delegate to them as well as how much reporting back to you is needed.
Think about these challenges you will face as a new supervisor. You may want to break this into fixing immediate problems, a six-month goal, and one-year goal.
You should have a title page, 3-5 pages of body content, and the last page of references. Please make sure that your paper has references even if you write it in a letter format.
Use at least 3 references for your paper. They should be articles that support your paper or lessons we have covered. Do not use Wikipedia!
The paper should contain no more than 20% direct citations or quotations. That means 80% should be your own analysis, thoughts, and ideas.
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Enhancing Performance and Morale at Fast Fleet Shoes Manufacturing
Introduction
As the newly appointed Shift Supervisor at Fast Fleet Shoes Manufacturing, I am committed to addressing the challenges faced by our team and fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration. In this paper, I will outline a comprehensive plan to address immediate issues, set six-month goals, and establish one-year objectives to enhance performance and morale within the department.
Immediate Problems
Addressing Attendance Issues
Late Employee:
To tackle the issue of chronic lateness, I propose implementing a progressive discipline approach. I will have a one-on-one conversation with the employee to understand the root cause of their tardiness and outline the expectations moving forward. By setting clear consequences for continued lateness and providing support if needed, we aim to improve punctuality.
Frequent Absenteeism:
For the employee who calls in sick frequently, a similar approach will be taken. I will conduct a meeting to discuss their absences, provide resources for health and well-being support if necessary, and set up a plan for better attendance tracking. Open communication and support can help address underlying issues causing absenteeism.
Promoting Internal Growth
Employee Seeking Promotion:
To address the concerns of the long-standing employee who desires a promotion, I will schedule a performance review to discuss their career goals, strengths, and areas for development. By providing targeted training, mentoring opportunities, and a clear pathway for advancement, we aim to motivate and retain valuable employees.
Work-Life Balance
Single Mother Employee:
For the dedicated single mother in inventory control seeking flexibility in working from home, I will evaluate the feasibility of remote work arrangements. Considering the nature of her role and the potential benefits of work-from-home options, I will assess performance metrics and propose a trial period to test the effectiveness of this arrangement.
Six-Month Goals
Team Development
Training Initiatives:
Over the next six months, we will implement targeted training programs to enhance technical skills, improve efficiency, and foster a culture of continuous learning within the team. By investing in professional development opportunities, we aim to boost employee engagement and performance.
Leadership Development
Co-Lead Empowerment:
To empower our co-leads, I will delegate more responsibilities, such as shift planning, performance evaluations, and conflict resolution. By building their leadership capabilities and promoting accountability, we aim to create a cohesive and empowered leadership team.
One-Year Goals
Organizational Culture
Employee Recognition:
In the long term, we plan to establish a robust employee recognition program to celebrate achievements, foster teamwork, and boost morale. By acknowledging and rewarding excellence, we aim to create a positive work environment conducive to growth and innovation.
Succession Planning
Talent Pipeline:
Looking ahead, we will focus on developing a talent pipeline by identifying high-potential employees for future leadership roles. Through mentorship programs, cross-functional projects, and succession planning initiatives, we aim to build a strong bench of future leaders within the organization.
Conclusion
In conclusion, by addressing immediate challenges, setting clear goals for the short and long term, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and inclusivity, we aim to transform Fast Fleet Shoes Manufacturing into a high-performing and engaging workplace. Through collaborative efforts, effective communication, and strategic leadership, we can overcome obstacles, drive positive change, and achieve sustainable growth within our department.
References:
1. Johnson, M. (2020). Strategies for Improving Employee Attendance. Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(3), 78-92.
2. Smith, L. (2019). Leadership Development Best Practices: Empowering Your Team for Success. Harvard Business Review.
3. Brown, K. (2021). Creating a Culture of Recognition: The Key to Employee Engagement. Forbes Magazine.
