The “People” Focus: Human Resources at Alaska Airlines
With thousands of employees spread across nearly 100 locations in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, building a committed and cohesive workforce is a challenge. Yet Alaska Airlines is making it work. The company’s “people” focus states:
While airplanes and technology enable us to do what we do, we recognize this is fundamentally a people business, and our future depends on how we work together to win in this extremely competitive environment. As we grow, we want to strengthen our small company feel . . . We will succeed where others fail because of our pride and passion, and because of the way we treat our customers, our suppliers and partners, and each other.
Managerial excellence requires a committed workforce. Alaska Airlines’ pledge of respect for people is one of the key elements of a world-class operation.
Effective organizations require talented, committed, and trained personnel. Alaska Airlines conducts comprehensive training at all levels. Its “Flight Path” leadership training for all 10,000 employees is now being followed by “Gear Up” training for 800 front-line managers. In addition, training programs have been developed for Lean and Six Sigma as well as for the unique requirements for pilots, flight attendants, baggage, and ramp personnel. Because the company only hires pilots into first officer positions—the right seat in the cockpit, it offers a program called the “Fourth Stripe” to train for promotion into the captain’s seat on the left side, along with all the additional responsibility that entails (see exterior and interior photos of one of Alaska Airlines’ flight simulators on the opening page of this chapter).
Customer service agents receive specific training on the company’s “Empowerment Toolkit.” Like the Ritz-Carlton’s famous customer service philosophy, agents have the option of awarding customers hotel and meal vouchers or frequent flier miles when the customer has experienced a service problem.
Because many managers are cross-trained in operational duties outside the scope of their daily positions, they have the ability to pitch in to ensure that customer-oriented processes go smoothly. Even John Ladner, Director of Seattle Airport Operations, who is a fully licensed pilot, has left his desk to cover a flight at the last minute for a sick colleague.
Along with providing development and training at all levels, managers recognize that inherent personal traits can make a huge difference. For example, when flight attendants are hired, the ones who are still engaged, smiling, and fresh at the end of a very long interview day are the ones Alaska wants on the team. Why? The job requires these behaviors and attitudes to fit with the Alaska Airlines team—and smiling and friendly flight attendants are particularly important at the end of a long flight.
Visual workplace tools also complement and close the loop that matches training to performance. Alaska Airlines makes full use of color-coded graphs and charts to report performance against key metrics to employees. Twenty top managers gather weekly in an operations leadership meeting, run by Executive VP of Operations, Ben Minicucci, to review activity consolidated into visual summaries. Key metrics are color-coded and posted prominently in every work area.
Alaska’s training approach results in empowered employees who are willing to assume added responsibility and accept the unknowns that come with that added responsibility.
Discussion Questions*
In: Operations Management
In: Economics
The following information was taken from the accounting records of Dunbar Mifflin Company in 2018.
Beginning of 2018Ending of 2018
Direct materials inventory135,00083,000
Work-in-process inventory185,000154,000
Finished-goods inventory255,000216,000
Purchases of direct materials270,000
Direct manufacturing labor225,000
Indirect manufacturing labor103,000
Plant insurance11,000
Depreciation-plant, building, and equipment48,000
Plant utilities29,500
Repairs and maintenance-plant13,500
Equipment leasing costs66,800
Marketing, distribution, and customer-service costs129,500
General and administrative costs72,500
Required:
Question 2(Total: 38 marks)
Following are the account balances for the DC Company in 2018:
Beginning of 2018Ending of 2018
Direct materials inventory26,50027,000
Work-in-process inventory30,50028,400
Finished-goods inventory16,50022,100
Purchases of direct materials79,000
Direct manufacturing labor24,500
Indirect manufacturing labor18,600
Plant insurance7,900
Depreciation-plant, building, and equipment11,800
Repairs and maintenance-plant3,500
Marketing, distribution, and customer-service costs87,900
General and administrative costs26,500
Required:
Question 3(Total: 30 marks)
Identify if the following costs are “product” or “period” costs:
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COST |
Period Cost or Product Cost? |
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1. Television advertisements for Bailey’s products |
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2. Lubricants used in running bottling machines |
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3. Research and Development related to elimination of antibiotic residues in milk |
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4. Gasoline used to operate refrigerated trucks delivering finished dairy products to grocery stores |
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5. Company president’s annual bonus |
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6. Depreciation on refrigerated trucks used to collect raw milk |
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7. Plastic gallon containers in which milk is packaged |
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8. Property insurance on dairy processing plant |
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9. Cost of milk purchased from local dairy farmers |
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10. Depreciation on tablets used by sales staff |
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11. Depreciation on chairs and tables in the factory lunchroom. |
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12. The cost of packaging the company’s product. |
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13. The wages of the receptionist in the administrative offices. |
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14. Cost of leasing the corporate jet used by the company’s executives. |
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15. The cost of renting rooms at a BC resort for the annual conference. |
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Question 4(Total: 14 marks)
The Trump International Hotel & Tower is a five-star hotel located in downtown Toronto. The hotel’s operations vice president would like to replace the hotel’s legacy computer terminals at the registration desk with attractive state-of-the-art flat-panel displays. The new displays would take less space, consume less power than the old computer terminals, and provide additional security, since they can be viewed only from a restrictive angle. The new computer displays would not require any new wiring. However, the hotel’s chef believes the funds would be better spent on a new bulk freezer for the kitchen.
Required:
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Item |
Differential Cost |
Opportunity Cost |
Sunk Cost |
None |
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Cost of the old computer terminals |
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Rent on the space occupied by the registration desk |
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Benefits from a new freezer |
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Cost of removing the old computer terminals |
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Cost of the new flat-panel displays |
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Wages of registration desk personnel |
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Cost of existing registration desk wiring |
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In: Accounting
In: Accounting
professor instructions for the assignment: You can earn extra credit if you read an article or news item about a project we discussed in class and write a 2 page reaction paper about it. Your paper must tell me about the project you read about, what makes it a sustainable or resilient project, what are the impacts, what did you like about the article, what did you not like, etc..
I would like to write about this new project that would expand public transportation in the Soundview area of the Bronx. An abandoned dock is being remodeled and rehabilitated for the project which is planning to open during summer 2018.
This is an article I found online that talks about this project.....
Ferry service to Soundview should be a reality this year, and some are calling for even more service in transit-starved east Bronx waterfront communities.
The route of service that includes Soundview’s ferry stop, is scheduled to begin service later this year from Clason Point Park, and the ferry dock is now under construction, according to NYC Economic Development Corporation.
As that plan inches closer to becoming a reality, the borough president used his 2018 State of the Borough speech on Thursday, February 22 to advocate for additional ferry landings.
“Ferry service is coming to Soundview, and should come to Throggs Neck and City Island as well,” said Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.
Diaz’s spokesman let the quote stand without further elaboration, but in the two east Bronx communities, leaders who have long advocated for ferry service made their case for additional stops.
Robert Barbarelli, Throggs Neck Home Owners Association board member, said he believes that ferry service could come to Throggs Neck, adding that S.U.N.Y. Maritime already docks a large training vessel in Throggs Neck.
“The waterways are not used enough which I think is a reason why there are always traffic issues on our roads,” said Barbarelli. “Utilizing waterways is a faster and more scenic route to get downtown.”
Dotti Poggi, Ferry Point Community Advocates leader, said that Ferry Point Park has a parking lot that could be used for ferry customers.
“Ferry Point is a perfect place because it has already has the infrastructure,” she said.
John Doyle, City Island Civic Association officer said he believes that one appropriate location for a ferry stop could be Orchard Beach, because it already has an large parking lot that is underutilized for nine months out of the year.
“Just having this mentioned in one of these speeches is helpful as this point,” said Doyle. “I am really hoping that when the Soundview ferry comes into service that it is super successful, because then we can build on that success.”
William Rivera, Community Board 9 district manager, said that the final details for the Soundview ferry are being worked out, including expanding service on the Bx 27 and Bx 39 buses by one stop during hours of operation so that commuters don’t have to walk far from the bus to ferry.
He is also involved in the planning of a community meeting in Clason Point that will take place prior to ferry operations starting.
Also being worked on are issues related to security, safety, lighting, parking, bathrooms and amenities at the Soundview ferry.
“Everyone supports the ferry, we just make sure it is done right,” said Rivera.
An EDC spokeswoman said stops along the ferry route servicing Soundview have changed in Manhattan, with an East 62nd Street stop dropped and an East 34th Street stop added.
The spokeswoman said that EDC “will begin to analyze ridership potential and landing capabilities for future expansion to other communities once we successfully implement 2018 routes this summer.”
In: Psychology
The Upper Midwest of the United States has lagged behind the economic recovery enjoyed by much of the rest of the nation. With an economy built largely on the steel, lumber, agriculture, and manufacturing industries, local businesses were hit by the triple challenges of declining commodity prices, globalization, and automation. Countries such as China and Canada offer cheaper steel or lumber, crop prices have been falling, and many manufacturing jobs either were replaced by robots or moved to China, Southeast Asia, or Mexico. Finding thriving businesses in this region can be difficult, and one of the few standouts has been in the gaming industry.
A small group of Native American tribal leaders opened the Brown Bear casino about 30 years ago. The facility was built on tribal land. Initially started as a relatively small stand-alone casino, the complex has grown to include 2,000 slot machines, 25 blackjack tables, a bingo ball for 600 players, a convention center, a 400+ room hotel, three restaurants, and a golf course. Over the years it has become a destination location for those wanting to play golf, see shows, enjoy good meals, and gamble without having to travel all the way to Las Vegas to make it happen.
The Brown Bear casino complex is now a $50 million business headed up by a general manager, who in turn oversees 11 different department heads, such as the chief financial officer, head of security, director of gaming operations, and so on. These 11 leaders manage the 1,200 employees working at the casino, hotel, convention center, and golf course. Although the casino enjoyed strong growth during its first 20 years of existence, it has not recovered fully from the economic recession of 2007-2009. Many of the good-paying jobs in the area disappeared, and as a result the local population has become considerably smaller and older. Compounding this problem is the fact that the gaming industry is facing increasing competition for customers' entertainment dollars. The chief marketing officer has implemented a number of campaigns to bring more and younger customers into the casino and increase their average spend per visit, but so far these efforts have yielded negligible results.
Although the casino is the largest employer in the area, staffing and employee engagement have been chronic problems. Many long-term employees appear to be completely checked out at work, biding their time until retirement, and they go out of their way to disparage those who put in an honest day's work. Despite paying a competitive wage and the relative scarcity of good-paying jobs in the region, the casino averages 30 percent annual turnover, with some positions reporting turnover rates over 100 percent. Turnover is not only taking a toll on the employees who remain (as they often have to pick up the slack for those who leave), but it also has an impact on the casino s customer satisfaction and financial results. Newer and less experienced staff do not know how to handle more complex customer issues, and it costs the casino $1,000-$5,000 in recruiting fees for each new person hired. With 400 new staff being hired each year, these staffing fees are having a material impact on the company's bottom line.
The general manager has asked you to help reduce staff turnover, create a more engaged staff, in the hope that this will improve the casino's customer satisfaction ratings, and have a positive impact on revenues and profitability.
QUESTIONS
In: Operations Management
Question 6 (Mandatory) (1 point)
What will happen to the following equilibrium if an inert gas is added while the volume remains constant?
2IBr(g) Û I2(g) + Br2(g)
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Question 7 (Mandatory) (1 point)
Which process is reversible?
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Question 9 (Mandatory) (1 point)
Which statement does not describe a characteristic of basic solutions?
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Question 10 (Mandatory) (1 point)
What is the Brønstead-Lowry definition of a base?
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Question 13 (Mandatory) (1 point)
What is the conjugate base of HSO4-(aq)?
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Question 14 (Mandatory) (1 point)
Which term describes a substance that acts as a proton donor and a proton acceptor?
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Question 15 (Mandatory) (1 point)
Based on your knowledge of the relative strength of oxoacids, which acid is the strongest acid?
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Question 16 (Mandatory) (1 point)
What is the concentration of hydroxide ions in a solution of 0.350 mol/L HI(aq)?
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Question 17 (Mandatory) (1 point)
A solution contains 6.3 ´ 10-5 hydronium ions. What is the pH of the solution?
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Question 18 (Mandatory) (1 point)
A solution has a pOH of 5.23. What is the concentration of hydroxide ions in the solution?
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In: Chemistry
Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each question. Answers must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams alone are not acceptable and will not be scored.
The sex of an organism is typically determined genetically, but environmental factors can also play a role. Scientists examined the roles of genes and environmental temperature in the sex determination of a lizard species. Individuals with a ZW pair of chromosomes are always female (ZWf), while individuals with a ZZ pair of chromosomes can be either male (ZZm) or female (ZZf). Scientists mated ZWf or ZZf females with ZZm males and incubated the eggs produced in 20 clutches at temperatures ranging from 23°C to 36°C. When the young hatched, the scientists determined their sexes (Table 1). Among the eggs that did not hatch, the mortality of embryonic lizards was approximately the same for both males and females.
Table 1. Fraction of female progeny produced as a function of egg incubation temperature
| Egg Incubation Temperature (°C) | ZZm×ZWf Crosses: Fraction of Female Progeny ±2SEX¯¯¯ | ZZm×ZZf Crosses: Fraction of Female Progeny ±2SEX¯¯¯ |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | 0.5±.08 | 0 |
| 24 | 0.5±.02 | 0 |
| 26 | 0.5±.07 | 0 |
| 28 | 0.5±.03 | 0 |
| 30 | 0.5±.01 | 0.03±.01 |
| 32 | 0.5±.03 | 0.2±.02 |
| 33 | 0.58±.03 | 0.52±.05 |
| 34 | 0.74±.04 | 0.88±.04 |
| 35 | 0.93±.03 | 0.97±0.2 |
| 36 | 1.0±0.0 | 1.0±0.0 |
(a) If a particular gene is located on the Z chromosome of this lizard species, describe why a lizard with a ZWgenotype has a greater probability of expressing the recessive phenotype for the trait than a lizard with the ZZgenotype does.
BoldItalicUnderlineBullet listNumbered list
0 / 10000 Word Limit
Question 2
(b) Using the template, construct an appropriately labeled graph, including error bars, to represent the data in Table 1. Based on the data, compare the ZZm×ZWf crosses and the ZZm×ZZf crosses to determine whether there is a significant difference between the two crosses in the fraction of female progeny produced at 24°C, 32°C, and 36°C.
Question 3
(c) For each cross, describe whether genetics or temperature determines the sex of progeny produced from eggs incubated at 35°C. For each cross, describe whether genetics or temperature determines the sex of progeny produced from eggs incubated at 24°C.
Question 4
(d) Predict the effect of increasing global temperatures on the continued presence of the W chromosome in this species of lizard. Scientists claim that, in this species, the W chromosome is unimportant in sex determination. Instead, proteins that are encoded by a gene or genes on the Z chromosome, and that are maximally expressed only at certain temperatures, are responsible for determining whether embryos will develop as females or males. Use the data to support this claim.
In: Biology
The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University reported data showing the odds of an Internal Revenue Service audit. The following table shows the average adjusted gross income reported (in dollars) and the percent of the returns that were audited for 20 selected IRS districts.
| District | Adjusted Gross Income ($) |
Percent Audited |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 36,664 | 1.3 |
| Sacramento | 38,845 | 1.1 |
| Atlanta | 34,886 | 1.1 |
| Boise | 32,512 | 1.1 |
| Dallas | 34,531 | 1.0 |
| Providence | 35,995 | 1.0 |
| San Jose | 37,799 | 0.9 |
| Cheyenne | 33,876 | 0.9 |
| Fargo | 30,513 | 0.9 |
| New Orleans | 30,174 | 0.9 |
| Oklahoma City | 30,060 | 0.8 |
| Houston | 37,153 | 0.8 |
| Portland | 34,918 | 0.7 |
| Phoenix | 33,291 | 0.7 |
| Augusta | 31,504 | 0.7 |
| Albuquerque | 29,199 | 0.6 |
| Greensboro | 33,072 | 0.6 |
| Columbia | 30,859 | 0.5 |
| Nashville | 32,566 | 0.5 |
| Buffalo | 34,296 | 0.5 |
(a)
Develop the estimated regression equation that could be used to predict the percent audited given the average adjusted gross income reported (in dollars). (Round your value for the y-intercept to three decimal places and your value for the slope to six decimal places.)
ŷ =
(b)
At the 0.05 level of significance, determine whether the adjusted gross income (in dollars) and the percent audited are related. (Use the F test.)
State the null and alternative hypotheses.
H0: β1 ≠ 0
Ha: β1 = 0
H0: β1 = 0
Ha: β1 ≠
0
H0: β0 ≠ 0
Ha: β0 = 0
H0: β1 ≥ 0
Ha: β1 < 0
H0: β0 = 0
Ha: β0 ≠ 0
Find the value of the test statistic. (Round your answer to two decimal places.)
Find the p-value. (Round your answer to three decimal places.)
p-value =
State your conclusion.
Do not reject H0. We cannot conclude that the relationship between the adjusted gross income (in dollars) and the percent audited is significant.
Do not reject H0. We conclude that the relationship between the adjusted gross income (in dollars) and the percent audited is significant.
Reject H0. We conclude that the relationship between the adjusted gross income (in dollars) and the percent audited is significant.
Reject H0. We cannot conclude that the relationship between the adjusted gross income (in dollars) and the percent audited is significant.
(c)
Did the estimated regression equation provide a good fit? Explain. (Round your answer to three decimal places.)
Since
r2 =
is ---Select--- less than 0.55 at least 0.55 , the estimated regression equation ---Select--- provided did not provide a good fit.
(d)
Use the estimated regression equation developed in part (a) to calculate a 95% confidence interval for the expected percent audited for districts with an average adjusted gross income of $37,000. (Round your answers to two decimal places.)
% to %
In: Statistics and Probability
The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University reported data showing the odds of an Internal Revenue Service audit. The following table shows the average adjusted gross income reported (in dollars) and the percent of the returns that were audited for 20 selected IRS districts.
| District | Adjusted Gross Income ($) |
Percent Audited |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 36,664 | 1.3 |
| Sacramento | 38,845 | 1.1 |
| Atlanta | 34,886 | 1.1 |
| Boise | 32,512 | 1.1 |
| Dallas | 34,531 | 1.0 |
| Providence | 35,995 | 1.0 |
| San Jose | 37,799 | 0.9 |
| Cheyenne | 33,876 | 0.9 |
| Fargo | 30,513 | 0.9 |
| New Orleans | 30,174 | 0.9 |
| Oklahoma City | 30,060 | 0.8 |
| Houston | 37,153 | 0.8 |
| Portland | 34,918 | 0.7 |
| Phoenix | 33,291 | 0.7 |
| Augusta | 31,504 | 0.7 |
| Albuquerque | 29,199 | 0.6 |
| Greensboro | 33,072 | 0.6 |
| Columbia | 30,859 | 0.5 |
| Nashville | 32,566 | 0.5 |
| Buffalo | 34,296 | 0.5 |
(a)
Develop the estimated regression equation that could be used to predict the percent audited given the average adjusted gross income reported (in dollars). (Round your value for the y-intercept to three decimal places and your value for the slope to six decimal places.)
ŷ =
(b)
At the 0.05 level of significance, determine whether the adjusted gross income (in dollars) and the percent audited are related. (Use the F test.)
State the null and alternative hypotheses.
H0: β1 ≠ 0
Ha: β1 = 0
H0: β1 ≥ 0
Ha: β1 <
0
H0: β0 = 0
Ha: β0 ≠ 0
H0: β0 ≠ 0
Ha: β0 = 0
H0: β1 = 0
Ha: β1 ≠ 0
Find the value of the test statistic. (Round your answer to two decimal places.)
_______
Find the p-value. (Round your answer to three decimal places.)
p-value = ______
State your conclusion.
Do not reject H0. We cannot conclude that the relationship between the adjusted gross income (in dollars) and the percent audited is significant.
Do not reject H0. We conclude that the relationship between the adjusted gross income (in dollars) and the percent audited is significant.
Reject H0. We cannot conclude that the relationship between the adjusted gross income (in dollars) and the percent audited is significant.
Reject H0. We conclude that the relationship between the adjusted gross income (in dollars) and the percent audited is significant.
(c)
Did the estimated regression equation provide a good fit? Explain. (Round your answer to three decimal places.)
Since
r2 = ________
is (---Select--- less than 0.55 at least 0.55) , the estimated regression equation (---Select--- provided ,did not provide a good fit).
(d)
Use the estimated regression equation developed in part (a) to calculate a 95% confidence interval for the expected percent audited for districts with an average adjusted gross income of $35,000. (Round your answers to two decimal places.)
_____% to _____%
In: Statistics and Probability