Computer Science Homework Help

Case study 1:

Mel is the leader of a retail team. His team want him to provide guidance about how to deal
with the angry customers who have been affected by a slowdown in the supply of one of their
major products. Mel decides to hold an early morning team briefing.
Mel begins his briefing with these statements: ‘What you choose to listen to, understand and
interpret affects how you respond. If you listen to both the words and the feelings and receive
the message accurately, it is possible to give feedback that helps your understanding and the
customer’s understanding. We can defuse a heated situation and calm an angry customer by
using questions and the listening funnel to get the customer to go into more detail.’
One of Mel’s team asks, ‘Of what value is the listening funnel?’
Mel replies, ‘The listening funnel distracts them from their emotions. At the same time, their
responses to the questions may help you identify a small, practical thing that you can do for
the customer. This is often enough for the customer to feel they have had a small win and
defuse their anger.’
Another team member asks, ‘What is the listening funnel?’

Questions

1. Prepare Mel’s response to the question, ‘What is the listening funnel?’

2. Suggest other interpersonal skills Mel’s team can apply to improve their interactions with
customers.

Case study 2:

A commercial network operator collects personal information and sells it to companies for
telemarketers without informed consent. This is one of 5 scenarios that discuss computers
and Internet privacy, sampled from a publication of the Computer Science and
Telecommunications Board (CSTB).
A commercial network operator collects information about the interests and purchases of its
users by keeping track of the forums and bulletin boards they use and the purchases they
make; it then sells this information to other merchandisers. Users are not asked if they wish to
participate in redistribution of such information.

Questions

1. To what extent are such practices permitted today under existing laws and codes of
behavior?

2. What constitutes “informed consent” for the user to agree to the redistribution of personal
information?

3. For example, is it sufficient to give users the option of not participating in the redistribution
of personal information? May users be offered financial incentives (e.g., reduced rates for
using the system) if they agree to participate? How comprehensively should possibilities
be described to users to illustrate the ramifications of redistribution?

4. Once users have granted permission for redistribution, should they have the option to
revoke it? How does revocation apply to secondary and tertiary uses?
5. How is this situation similar to and/or different from supermarkets that track customer
purchases and preferences through scanners and check cashing, credit cards, and
personalized coupons?

Case study 3:

Patrick, an experienced Senior Recruitment Consultant working with NEW Recruitment
Agency, is mentoring new employee Clara. Over lunch, Patrick says ‘The importance of job
seekers creating résumés with key words relevant to the position cannot be ignored. Key
words are essential because they direct search engines to relevant résumés and increase an
applicant’s chances of landing interviews’.
Clara answers, ‘Yes. Effective résumés have strong, searchable key word rich content. They
include well-written descriptions with key words and measurable accomplishments’.
Patrick explains ‘Recruiters are now using multiple social media channels so we should
encourage our job seekers to merge their social media channels because often their online
profile may be viewed before their résumé. By linking their LinkedIn page to their Facebook
and Twitter profiles, they are able to maintain a consistent presence across all platforms. They
should also show potential employers their talents and skills by posting and reposting images
of projects they have worked on, the interests they follow and the work that motivates them’.
Clara replies, ‘They should also network to build more one-on-one relationships and increase
the likelihood of referrals for job opportunities. Participation in groups helps to build bridges
and connections with people who are outside the job-seekers’ network. Job seekers can add
value to the groups they are in by posting relevant content and commenting on other posts. In
turn, they will receive recommendations from their network and added value to their profile
from the extra keywords in recommendations that will match recruiters’ search engine queries’.
Clara asks, ‘Do we have a list of practical tips we can forward to anyone who asks for advice?’
Patrick replies, ‘No, but you could prepare a list of tips for NEW Recruitment Agency to place
on the company blog. Then we can direct people to the site. It provides an extra service to our
clients and improves our efficiency in handling questions about résumé format and the need
to network and search through social media channels’.

Questions
1. Why should Clara include strong keywords in her résumé?

2. Briefly explain the benefits for Clara of linking her Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles.

3. Discuss the benefits Clara is likely to gain from networking.

4. Develop a list of practical job search tips for Clara to place on the NEW Recruitment
company blog.