Problem:
Using the management dilemma identified in assignment, prepare a data collection design as if no primary data are available. Detail, step-by-step and in sequence, the search for and review of secondary data you will conduct to answer your research question(s). Explain why you chose the sources you did, and how you expect to utilize the results, i.e., what analysis techniques may be appropriate.
Using the management dilemma identified in assignment, prepare a data collection design as if only primary data are available. Create the appropriate data collection design using a survey you developed, being certain to address sampling design issues. Address all issues pertaining to the sampling frame, sample size, response rates, survey construction, and survey administration.
Assignment:
CB, Inc is a trucking company with more than 200 trucks transporting a myriad of goods throughout the country. The trucks are both refrigerated and non-refrigerated. They do not move livestock. The trailers are all CB and some of the tractors are company owned. About half are private drivers.
They offer standard rates for OTR drivers and the company drivers are compensated with per mile rates and health insurance, retirement plan, and some opportunities for advancement. The company has been in business for more than twenty years and most of the executives are hired from outside the company. Only executives in the shipping division and sales have come from the driver ranks. The company has felt a resentment building in the driver pool, but chosen not to deal with the issue. Recently, a change in the way drivers are compensated in both groups has created a new vigor in the debate about company advancement.
The rates for OTR and the company drivers were brought closer together with company drivers raised by fourteen cents per mile and OTR drivers only sixteen cents per mile. OTR drivers are upset because their money is not only for their time, but for the maintenance and upkeep, equipment for their trucks. The company drivers do not have to meet these same bills. The company position is that the company drivers have other responsibilities to the company. They often have to work in the shipping and loading areas and fill in on the desk, without hourly pay.
Company drivers did not like the raise and no compensation for hourly work, though this is rare work on a rotation schedule. They also have problems with the advancement opportunities for the drivers. No OTR or company drivers have been promoted in the past two years. No one has been promoted outside of the transportation and sales areas. Though several have attended college and gotten degrees in business, accounting, and human resources, the promotions do not come.
Both groups are requesting more time off. One day, two weeks ago, nearly twenty five percent of drivers were not available. There has also been a increase for time it takes to offload and load trucks and to get off from the docks. The drivers are late and some drivers are moving to other companies. The loss of drivers is not large, but it is becoming more noticeable as the weeks go on. And several drivers are leaving when they do not get promoted.
The company cannot afford the costs of hiring new drivers and training them if the number of replacements needed continues to grow. The company needs to figure out the best way to stem the flow of discontent and flow of drivers leaving or not showing up along with the slowdown in the docks. The first problem is to decide problem most concerns the drivers: the pay or benefits, advancement opportunities. The human resources department has received instructions to decide how best to deal with drivers and the changes in pay and benefits. The management would like to stem the flow of slow deliveries, late deliveries, unavailable drivers and expanding methods of recruitment and training.
Since HR has some idea of what the problem is, the department starts with a review of how much it is costing the company in revenue on late deliveries and slow deliveries. Also, the time costs when loading and off loading is slowed. Finally they want to look at the costs of recruiting new drivers and training them, which can be assessed in human resources. The company expenses for recruitment for the past quarter is up and since training costs are billed on a per person basis, this too has increased more than expected in the previous quarter. Since the company has to deal with the rising costs of fuel and equipment replacement on a regular schedule, the costs for the drivers discontent is particularly unwelcome.
Next the HR must decide what is the problem they need to address most. The choices are for the company drivers, changes in pay and benefits, including opportunities of advancement. The choice with OTR drivers is pay based. For the OTR is there another way to meet the problem, such as a fund for helping with repairs, a special repair account for parts, or another solution? The HR has to decide whether to focus on company drivers or OTR drivers. The decision is based on who produces the most income and is most important to revenue and profit.
A beginning research would include the comparison of which group is most important to the profit of the company. The question would then revolve around the costs of hiring and training, paying, and delivery success of the OTR drivers and the same for the company drivers. The question is then which group and its problems would be most cost effective to deal with to stop the problems. Can one solution, pay equity, solve the problem for both? Should there be a more equitable pay and benefits package for the company drivers and the freelance drivers? The research question to find the answer and resolve the problem: What would be an equitable pay and benefits package offering for both groups of drivers?