Question

Read the scenario. Highlight the type of control described for each scenario. In other words, is it a behavior or an output control and is it a feedforward, concurrent or feedback control mechanism?

2. Employee drug use is a serious problem for employers. Possible consequences include injuries, illness, absenteeism, breakage, theft, and reduced productivity. Illegal drug use by employees costs U.S. industry an estimated $25 billion a year. The extent of this problem has challenged managers to find ways to discourage and prevent employee drug use. One approach is to implement a drug-testing program, most commonly based on urinalysis. (The employee supplies a urine sample that is chemically tested for traces of drugs in his or her system.) For example, Home Depot routinely tests all job applicants and all employees receiving promotions.

1. Is this method of controlling employee drug use an example of behavioral control or output control?
2. Assume drug testing programs serve as a deterrent and that employees are less likely to use illegal drugs due to fear of detection. Based on this assumption, are drug testing programs an example of a feedforward, concurrent, or feedback control mechanism?

Answer 1

2. Drug testing program is a feedforward control mechanism as the attempt is to identify and prevent the problem of drug abuse beore they occur . When the testing is randomly done on a sample of employees without informing them , then it will be a concurrent control ( and is being done during the job ) .

a. This method of controlling employee drug use is a behavioral control as it is expected that the drug testing program will act as deterrent and forewarn people that since he drug testing shall be carried out , then employees will not take to drug use for fear of being detected ( the ones who are likely to be drug use offenders ) - this is attempting to change the behaviour . Output control will happen if the desired targets are not achieved and then the final output vs output is monitored and examined basis the premise that may be this was due to drug use.

b.As answered above , this is a feedforward control.

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