Critical Thinking Analysis of Penn-Marts Health Care...

A Critical Thinking Analysis of Penn-Mart’s Health Care Strategy Revisions Dennis D. Puskas University of Maryland University College DMBA 610 September 21, 2014 Abstract The following paper will use a set of 10 critical thinking steps recommended by Browne amp; Keeley to objectively analyze the memorandum sent by Salvador Monella who is the Senior Vice President of Human Resources to the Board of Directors at Penn-Mart. Mr. Monella has conducted a review of Penn-Mart’s healthcare strategy involving a number of issues including cost to the company and employee involvement, to name a few. The purpose of the review, findings, discussion and recommendations will all be analyzed using critical thinking skills in an objective manner.†¦show more content†¦Question 2: What are the reasons? Now we want to identify and analyze the reasons that support the conclusion we have identified in the previous section. We want to learn why the Mr. Monella thinks that his conclusion is true, which will be all of the reasons that he mentions which will draw us to the conclusion. The reasons that support the conclusion in Penn-Mart have been extracted f rom internal research that has been conducted under Mr. Monella. The reasons mentioned are listed below: 1) Growth in benefits costs is unacceptable driven by an aging workforce with average tenure. 2) Benefits costs could consume as much as 15 percent of their total profits in 2015. 3) Penn-Mart’s wages and benefits make up about 40 percent of their annual budget. 4) The least productive and least healthy employees are a drag on earnings. Question 3: What words or phrases are ambiguous? Next, we want to identify any phrases or words that are ambiguous including abstract terms or loaded language. Looking at the first reason, the word â€Å"unacceptable† is used to describe the growth in benefits costs. This is clearly ambiguous as we have no idea how the author defines unacceptable. Also, within that same phrase is â€Å"aging workforce†; this is also ambiguous. Aging to someone else could mean in their mid-30s, but to other people it could mean late 50s, thus this is another ambiguity. In reason number 2, 15 percent ofShow MoreRelatedRecommendation For Revision Of Penn Mart s Health Care Strategy2485 Words   |  10 PagesAbstract This paper is an analysis of the critical points of the â€Å"Recommendation for Revision of Penn-Mart’s Health Care Strategy† memo (Penn-Mart Memo) in relation to the points in the report by Roy Eichhorn, Strategic Systems Department, Army Management Staff College, entitled, Developing Thinking Skills: Critical Thinking at the Army Management Staff College. The author of the Penn-Mart memo is Senior VP of Human Resources, Salvador Monella whose indicated purpose is to offer a remedy to the spiralingRead MoreTeaching Notes Robert Grant - Strategy 4th Edition51665 Words   |  207 PagesBroking Strategies: Merrill Lynch, Charles Schwab and E*Trade 83 10 11 12 Emi and the CT Scanner [A] [B] 88 Rivalry in Video Games 98 Birds Eye and the UK Frozen Food Industry 109 1 CONTENTS 13 14 15 16 Euro Disney: From Dream to Nightmare, 1987–94 116 Richard Branson and the Virgin Group of Companies in 2002 125 General Electric: Life After Jack 131 AES Corporation: Rewriting the Rules of Management 139 2 Introduction This new edition of Cases in Contemporary Strategy Analysis