HUMMINGBIRD AIRCRAFT CORPORATION1 and JB CONSULTING
Your firm, JB Consulting (JBC), has just been selected as the external HR consulting firm to advise the
Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Klune, of the Hummingbird Aircraft Corporation (HAC), a medium-sized
aircraft manufacturing (not as much competition, highly specialized) company, with about 1500
employees (500 white collar, 1000 blue collar), (predominantly blue colar (hands on, possibly trades,
hourly paid))located in the suburbs of Kelowna, B.C. (suburbs: possibly harder to get labour in Kelowna
than Van.) You, and the principal consultant of JBC, Julie Butcher, are meeting with Mr. Klune for the
first time, and he is providing some background information, before you both meet with the members of
the management committee later in the day to discuss the HR challenges the organization is
experiencing.
The vision of HAC is: Delivering best in class aircraft to the world.
The mission statement is: We are a specialized medium-sized aircraft manufacturing company that
seeks to delight our clients with the highest standards in aircraft design, manufacturing and delivery
through sound financial and project management, aeronautics expertise and customer satisfaction.
(future focussed)
Mr. Klune begins, with great pride and optimism, by saying, “This company is where it is today because
of the direction and guidance I have provided over the past twenty or so years. I believe that we are now
in a position to really make our move and expand our markets. Our customers are the small- to medium-
sized airlines and private aircraft owners located primarily on the west coast of Canada and the US. We
also have a large contract with the Canadian government that has assisted us in retaining our market
share. (they are legistlated and required to cover federal rules on top of BC rules (affects hiring and all
parts of operations) this includes: “making such reasonable accommodations as will ensure that persons
in designated groups achieve a degree of representation,” mandatory gov benefits, union = bargaining
power, equal pay for equal jobs,
I see us positioned to make really significant growth in the next five years with a goal to increase sales
and profits by a minimum of 25%.” Ideally, we will also be looking to grow globally in the next 10 years.
He pauses before he begins again, and his tone has changed to one of concern, (what will they need:
more workers. If they are projected to grow,they need to find people)“I see some current challenges
that we need to overcome. I am somewhat concerned by many of the general economic signals I've
been reading lately; lack of skilled workers, shortage of labour supply and the weak Canadian dollar.
(maybe if he worked on training employees as they come? Or internship programs for students in
Kelowna) However, the weak Canadian dollar could assist us in our future growth. Internally, we have
some problems that neither the economy, nor the Canadian dollar, will solve. When I was reviewing our
operating costs, I noticed that our absenteeism, tardiness, and turnover rates (retention strategies:, )
are climbing dramatically, and the productivity and morale of employees has declined. I am beginning to
feel that we're really not doing the sort of comprehensive human resource management activities that
we should be doing to plan, attract, engage, develop and retain
(plan: Identify job openenings design and requirements.
attract: high pay for skilled workers, benefits that they would enjoy- flexible benefits pkan,
engage: engagement strategies:brings lower turnover and less absenses, pay and benefits, task and
Your firm, JB Consulting (JBC), has just been selected as the external HR consulting firm to advise the
Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Klune, of the Hummingbird Aircraft Corporation (HAC), a medium-sized
aircraft manufacturing (not as much competition, highly specialized) company, with about 1500
employees (500 white collar, 1000 blue collar), (predominantly blue colar (hands on, possibly trades,
hourly paid))located in the suburbs of Kelowna, B.C. (suburbs: possibly harder to get labour in Kelowna
than Van.) You, and the principal consultant of JBC, Julie Butcher, are meeting with Mr. Klune for the
first time, and he is providing some background information, before you both meet with the members of
the management committee later in the day to discuss the HR challenges the organization is
experiencing.
The vision of HAC is: Delivering best in class aircraft to the world.
The mission statement is: We are a specialized medium-sized aircraft manufacturing company that
seeks to delight our clients with the highest standards in aircraft design, manufacturing and delivery
through sound financial and project management, aeronautics expertise and customer satisfaction.
(future focussed)
Mr. Klune begins, with great pride and optimism, by saying, “This company is where it is today because
of the direction and guidance I have provided over the past twenty or so years. I believe that we are now
in a position to really make our move and expand our markets. Our customers are the small- to medium-
sized airlines and private aircraft owners located primarily on the west coast of Canada and the US. We
also have a large contract with the Canadian government that has assisted us in retaining our market
share. (they are legistlated and required to cover federal rules on top of BC rules (affects hiring and all
parts of operations) this includes: “making such reasonable accommodations as will ensure that persons
in designated groups achieve a degree of representation,” mandatory gov benefits, union = bargaining
power, equal pay for equal jobs,
I see us positioned to make really significant growth in the next five years with a goal to increase sales
and profits by a minimum of 25%.” Ideally, we will also be looking to grow globally in the next 10 years.
He pauses before he begins again, and his tone has changed to one of concern, (what will they need:
more workers. If they are projected to grow,they need to find people)“I see some current challenges
that we need to overcome. I am somewhat concerned by many of the general economic signals I've
been reading lately; lack of skilled workers, shortage of labour supply and the weak Canadian dollar.
(maybe if he worked on training employees as they come? Or internship programs for students in
Kelowna) However, the weak Canadian dollar could assist us in our future growth. Internally, we have
some problems that neither the economy, nor the Canadian dollar, will solve. When I was reviewing our
operating costs, I noticed that our absenteeism, tardiness, and turnover rates (retention strategies:, )
are climbing dramatically, and the productivity and morale of employees has declined. I am beginning to
feel that we're really not doing the sort of comprehensive human resource management activities that
we should be doing to plan, attract, engage, develop and retain
(plan: Identify job openenings design and requirements.
attract: high pay for skilled workers, benefits that they would enjoy- flexible benefits pkan,
engage: engagement strategies:brings lower turnover and less absenses, pay and benefits, task and
