Zappos Case Study: Training and Development

Zappos cast study as mentioned in: Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2017). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Questions:

• What challenges is Zappos facing that may derail its attempt to be the best online retailer?
• How can training and development help Zappos meet these challenges?
• Do you think that employees at Zappos have high levels of engagement? Why?
• Which of Zappos’ ten core values do you believe training and development can influence the most? The least? Why?

More Questions:

Using the case study respond to the following tasks:

1. Aligning practices to business strategy is a core premise of HRM. Critically examine the HRM practices detailed in the case study against the stated business strategy of Zappos. Critically assess the extent to whether there is congruence and incongruence? Provide and justify two that allows the company to address any incongruency found.

2. Zappos uses unusual techniques in its talent identification, selection, compensation and training. Critically evaluate these practices in relation to HRM principles. Then, critically evaluate the problems with these three issues outlined in the case study.

Based on your critical evaluation performed in task 2, identify and justify potential changes you would make to HR practices enabling Zappos to achieve its goals and thereby enhance its organisational performance.

4. Zappos also faces problems with high absenteeism, retention and satisfaction. Critically analyse these problems in relation to HRM principles. Based on your findings, provide recommendations that could address each problem identified in the case study.

Your examination, arguments and applications should make reference to relevant human resource management principles, theories, frameworks, models, practices and academic literature. The evaluation report should present logical, sequential and persuasive arguments, justified and supported by literature, and evidence from the case study.