The two major concepts discussed in the video and the article are planning for human resource needs and managing unionized respectively. Planning for human resource needs requires management teams to extensively determine the workforce required to achieve the set objectives. Job analysis helps organizations determine the knowledge and skill level as well as the abilities required to perform a specific job. After developing a job analysis, organizations then use the information to determine job descriptions and job specifications. A job description is formally written and outlines the title, the tasks an employee is to perform, relationship with other employees, specific skills required, and an employee’s responsibilities. A job specification highlights the academic qualifications required to perform a given job. The specification also reveals the experience required and the personal and physical characteristics necessary for a given employment position.
The article also details the unique challenge of managing unionized workers. With specific reference to Hollywood, the article reveals the importance of unions in negotiating for better compensation for their members. However, the negotiations between unions and management are not always smooth. Strikes are a common practice with unions castigating their members to abandon their workplaces resulting in massive losses for an organization. The formation of labor unions is recognized by the American constitution, further complicating the management of unionized employees. As revealed by the article, the financial impact of the 1988 strike in Hollywood led to losses of half a billion dollars.
In the United States, employee unions have significantly contributed to better compensation for blue-collar jobs and government employees. The unions have pushed for collective bargaining agreements with employers resulting to higher wages and salaries for members. Given the benefits of joining unions, employees from all industries should seek to unionize. A union in the entertainment industry would not only negotiate for better compensation packages for artists but also inform them of their rights. Unions would also benefit the employees in the industry by negotiating for better working conditions. The disadvantages of a union in the entertainment industry include potential strikes due to disagreements with studio management teams, high operational costs for studios, and hire prices of shows produced. Personally, I have not worked for a unionized organization, however, I have friends who have shared their experience of working in such organizations. The poor relationship between management and unions is a common phenomenon.