How (Not) to Spot a Terrorist Source Foreign Policy, May-Ju.docx

How (Not) to Spot a Terrorist
Source: Foreign Policy, May-June 2008
(http://www.foreignpolicy.com)
Author: Malcolm Nance
Malcolm Nance is a veteran Middle East counterterrorism
intelligence officer. He
is executive director of the International Anti-Terrorism Center
for Excellence and
author of Terrorist Recognition Handbook: A Practitioner’s
Manual for Predicting
and Identifying Terrorist Activities.
Abu Laith al-Libi must have been feeling comfortable as he
relaxed and had tea
with his battle staff in a small hut inside Pakistan’s North
Waziristan region. A
local commander of Al-Qaeda who had led terrorist operations
for more than a
decade, he dressed simply, with baggy salwar-kameez clothes, a
cotton turban,
and a Kalashnikov rifle not far from his side. When a Hellfire
missile from a
Predator drone tore through the building, his last thought surely
must have been,
“How did they spot me?”
Identifying terrorists on the battlefield is relatively simple. My
scout-sniper school
instructor always reminded us of a solid truism that applies
perfectly both in
Afghanistan and Iraq—shoot the one with the gun. The same

cannot be said of
the world’s most dangerous terrorists—the ones operating
covertly inside the
United States and Europe. They are an entirely different matter.
Hunting them down is more akin to finding Soviet spies during
the Cold War. It
requires an educated, deeply institutionalized
counterintelligence apparatus that
relies on experts to perform detailed groundwork intended to
study, stalk, and
expose enemy operations.
Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, however, the
United States has
taken the opposite approach. From securing airports and
airliners with massive
influxes of technology, to centralizing border and port security
under the
Department of Homeland Security, to the invasions of
Afghanistan and Iraq, the
current U.S. strategy prioritizes gizmos, bureaucracy, and
bombing runs over the
simple training of Arabic-speaking intelligence officers or
targeting the forces that
bind extremists together. And, by focusing on hard power, it has
destroyed many
chances to do it right.
Terrorist cells are already well ahead of our ability to detect
them. They are being
schooled in combat skills in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi
Arabia, and
Yemen. They are mastering the art of infiltration, of mixing into
communities very
different from their own. They are acquiring a wide range of

internationalizing
skills, including excellent command of the English language and
proficiency in
operating computers, mobile phones, and satellite Internet
connections.
This level of intelligence and sophistication makes them
unprecedented in the
history of terrorism. But, perhaps more importantly, they are
“mission motivated”
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to the core—they will gladly get close to their enemy and
joyously die beside
them.
The U.S. intelligence community has, in recent years, built a
template of what
this modern terrorist is supposed to look like. Unfortunately, it
is fundamentally
flawed. Developed immediately after 9/11, it is based on a
poorly formed, racially
biased stereotype known as the “military-aged Arab male,” or
“MAAM.” It could
be a foreigner or a U.S. citizen. For the past few years, South
Asians have been
added to the list. The profile seems logical. Most of the 11
September hijackers
were young Arab men. But, to paraphrase Mao Zedong, a
terrorist operative is
only as fluid in evading detection as the seas in which he
swims.

Across all U.S. intelligence agencies, there is a lack of cultural
respect and a
poorly tuned attitude toward foreign peoples and cultures. This
could be
construed as what British Brigadier Nigel Aylwin-Foster called
“institutional
racism.” It is not. It’s simply an ignorance that reflects the fact
that, though
patriotic and well meaning, U.S. counterterrorism officers are
presently not taught
a dynamic, culturally focused approach that places a premium
on understanding
the core motivations of the enemy.
The United States’ current counterterrorism strategy lacks any
efforts to break
the terrorists’ ties to the communities that conceal them and the
culture of
martyrdom that inspires them. A singular focus on stopping the
“ticking time
bomb” scenario blinds U.S. efforts to the possibility of
destroying the network’s
very social support structure.
“Soft power” tools—giving small cash gifts; donating trucks,
tractors, and animals
to communities; and granting requests for immigration,
education, and
healthcare—can be vastly more effective than a show of force.
This alternative approach, often derided after 9/11 as a “hearts
and minds”
campaign, can oblige a potential terrorist not just to his family,
which benefits
from the relationship, but to the American agent handling him.
When an agent

shows empathy for a target and establishes a relationship with
him, it offers
opportunities for infiltration of the network. This “old school”
tactic of turning
terrorist operatives into assets, instead of killing them, may
sound quaint, but the
current “guns first” strategy misses the fluid diversity of the
enemy.
Today, newly minted American intelligence personnel study the
methods, means,
and motivations of Al-Qaeda terrorists. But they fundamentally
lack respect for
them as strategically intelligent opponents, and as human
beings. It is a grave
mistake that the only profile U.S. agents still seem to know is
MAAM, because it
may eventually render all their efforts useless by allowing
terrorist opponents
simply to alter their profile to infiltrate the United States.
2
We’ve seen this happen before. The attacks of 11 September
were made
possible, in part, by the fact that U.S. law enforcement had a
bias that “rich
Saudis are safe Arabs.” Al-Qaeda understood that bias and
relied on it to operate
freely in the United States for years, even when the terrorists
were engaged in
activities that the authorities considered suspicious.

Al-Qaeda is a racially diverse organization that is well aware of
its dependence
on a labor pool dominated by Arab Muslim men. It also has an
adaptable and
fluid counterintelligence mind-set. In fact, U.S. reliance on the
MAAM profile has
already benefited Al-Qaeda in Iraq, which has successfully
experimented with
using women, children, husband-and-wife teams, families, and
Caucasian
Westerners as suicide bombers.
The need to cross borders legally and clandestinely is exactly
why they are
recruiting heavily from within the West, particularly in Europe.
More cleverly, the
necessity to strike in ways not seen before has led to the
creation of Al-Qaeda’s
“self-starting jihad,” a continuing Internet-based inspiration and
education
campaign.
Reversing course on 20 years of hands-on training in terrorist
camps, this
network of Internet sites allows anyone who wants to be a
jihadist, from an
uneducated Italian pizza cook to a British doctor or a
disillusioned kid from
California, to join the campaign. This school isn’t limited to
Islamist extremists.
So what will the next wave of terrorists look like? In short, a lot
like you and me.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq has already pioneered the use of Caucasians
and Africans.
European passport holders, mostly immigrants and the children

of immigrants,
are a fast-growing part of the terrorist rank and file. From
Baghdad to Glasgow,
Madrid, and Mumbai, trend lines indicate that “clean-skin”
operatives—both men
and women with no history of trouble or violence—will serve as
the new terrorist
foot soldiers.
And, most frighteningly, many will probably be Americans.
They presently live
like sleeper agents, operating and planning independently like
serial killers.
Finding inspiration online, they stay virtual until they find like-
minded supporters
to meet in the real world. They are most likely to be angry
young people who
have mastered their Xbox 360s. They may seek the advice of a
mentor, a
counterintelligence-savvy combat veteran of the jihad, who will
listen to their
plans and provide a password to a Website where they will find
access to money,
tools, and training in abundance. Rooting out these dangerous
individuals will
require a new focus on intent, skills, capability, and tradecraft.
Terrorism is derived from grievance, vengeance, and a calling
to a higher honor.
These are real and powerful motivations that must be targeted
on every level.
The U.S. intelligence community should start afresh, pursuing
strategies to
3

isolate and infiltrate these recruits and separate them from the
terrorist
community.
Until the United States focuses on street-level counterterrorism
operations, its
citizens will remain vulnerable to those who send their children
to die in a jihad
born of animosity, ignorance, and fear.
Few of the deadliest modern-day suicide bombers fit the
stereotype of a mass
murderer. Here’s a look at four once-average people who
epitomize the changing
profile of the terrorists we fear most.
Shehzad Tanweer. Country of birth: Britain. Age: 22. Mission:
Suicide bombing
in London.
Background: Acquaintances remember Tanweer, born in
Bradford and raised in
Leeds, as an excellent cricket player in his youth. He attended
university and
worked at his family’s fish and chips shop. He was likely
radicalized on a trip to
an Islamic study camp in Pakistan in early 2005, according to
reports. Just
months after returning, Tanweer and three other men detonated
bombs aboard
three trains in the London Underground and aboard a central
London bus, killing
52 people and wounding more than 700 others.

Why he matters: The London bombings Tanweer and his cohorts
carried out
were the first suicide attacks on British soil. Tanweer
epitomizes the threat of
“clean-skin” operatives, authorities say. He was an A-student
and a gifted athlete
with many friends. Tanweer had no history of violence or run-
ins with police. His
family described him as “proud to be British.”
Muriel Degauque. Country of birth: Belgium. Age: 38. Mission:
Suicide bombing
in Baquba, Iraq.
Background: Friends remember Degauque, born a Catholic in
the sleepy Belgian
town of Charleroi, as an average student who was well-dressed
and well-
mannered. She converted to Islam after struggling to break
addictions to alcohol
and drugs. Her religious beliefs reportedly became radicalized
after she married
a Belgian Muslim who was known to local authorities as an
extremist. Traveling
to Iraq via Syria in 2005, Degauque died on 9 November of that
year when she
carried out a suicide bombing attack against a U.S. military
patrol.
Why she matters: Terrorism experts believe Degauque was the
first European
Muslim woman to execute a suicide attack. European women
who marry Muslim
men are now the largest source of religious conversions in
Europe, and
European counterterrorism officials are increasingly concerned

that female
converts represent a small but potentially deadly element of the
terrorist threat in
Europe.
4
Ahmed Said Ahmed al-Ghamdi. Country of birth: Saudi Arabia.
Age: 20.
Mission: Suicide bombing in Mosul, Iraq.
Background: Acquaintances describe Ghamdi as well-mannered
and polite. He
studied medicine in the Sudan, where his father was a diplomat
at the Saudi
embassy. While there, Ghamdi began to show signs of
increasing Islamic
devotion, growing a beard and studying the Koran intensely. He
was recruited by
the Northern Iraq-based insurgent group Ansar al-Sunna and on
21 December
2004, Ghamdi used an explosive vest to detonate himself inside
a mess hall at a
U.S. military base in Mosul. The attack killed 22 people and
wounded 60 others.
It was the single largest loss of American life ever on a U.S.
military base.
Why he matters: Ghamdi’s radicalization is notable because he
was smart, well-
connected in Riyadh, and had excellent career prospects. Raised
within the
Saudi upper class, he represents the higher end of the

intelligence scale among
Middle Eastern youth, a group not traditionally thought of as a
hotbed for terrorist
recruiting. But his eventual turn to terror perhaps should not
have come as a
surprise. Three members of the Ghamdi clan were among the
9/11 hijackers.
Kafeel Ahmed. Country of birth: India. Age: 27. Mission:
Attempted suicide
bombing in Scotland.
Background: Ahmed was born in Bangalore, India, and raised in
Saudi Arabia
and Iran, where his parents worked as doctors. He trained as an
engineer at a
university back in India before pursuing master’s and doctoral
degrees in Britain.
Ahmed worked for a blue-chip Indian outsourcing company in
2005-2006 that
serviced clients in the aeronautics industry, including Boeing
and Airbus. On 30
June 2007, Ahmed and a companion crashed a Jeep full of
propane canisters
into Glasgow’s airport. Ahmed survived the attack but later died
of burns.
Why he matters: The first terrorist attack in Scotland since the
1988 Lockerbie
bombing, Ahmed’s case shows how new technologies are
helping to recruit the
next generation of terrorists. Authorities believe he was
radicalized in Islamist
chatrooms, where he followed events in Afghanistan, Iraq, and
Palestine closely.
He was fond of downloading speeches delivered by Osama bin

Laden, yet he
showed little interest in Islamist causes in India. It was also on
jihadist Internet
sites that Ahmed downloaded hundreds of bomb designs.
5
HRM500 Week 2 Scenario Script: Labor Force Trends
Slide #
Scene/Slide
Narration
Slide 1
Scene 1
Introduction
[HR Director Angela, Senior-Level HR Manager Ashley and
Junior-Level HR Manager Ashley]
Michael and Ashley have been called in for their weekly
meeting with HR Director Angela. There is new data presented
indicating that the labor force at their organization has now
begun to age, and is also more diverse, and that skill
deficiencies exist.
Ashley and Michael are tasked with developing programs that
address these concerns.
HRM500_2_1_Angela-1: Good Morning team!
I have just left a strategy session with Montrose’s top
executives.
It has been determined that we need to address the needs of a
diverse and aging workforce in terms of skill deficiencies.

We are searching for employees with mathematical, verbal and
interpersonal skills.
These employees also need to possess great decision making
skills and work well with teams.
HRM500_2_1_Ashley-1: Angela, I’ve noticed that in the United
States, the labor market is aging, and has also become
increasingly racially and ethnically diverse.
HRM500_2_1_Michael-1: I agree!
We must be very flexible in order to retain talent and meet the
needs of older workers as well as employees from a wide range
of racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
HRM500_2_1_Angela-2: Indeed!
Do either of you have ideas on how we can address these
concerns?
HRM500_2_1_Ashley-2: Give me a second to think about this
(thinking for a second)
Well, for one thing, the competition to hire and retain top talent
is fierce.
In the face of a skill shortage, we may have to hire employees
and then train them later in the skills needed.
HRM500_2_1_Michael-2: Let me think… (pondering)
We also need to find individuals with computer and technology
skills.
HRM500_2_1_Ashley-3: On a side note, I remember reading

that by the year 2018 the workforce is expected to be seventy-
nine percent Caucasian, twelve percent African American, and
nine percent Asian and other minorities.
I also recall that the Hispanic population is growing equally as
fast, and is expected to be near eighteen percent of the
workforce by 2018.
By hiring a more diverse workforce, we can create more
products and services that cater to a larger demographic group.
HRM500_2_1_Michael-3: Great information, Ashley!
We also have a lot of single parent employees and others who
are caring for their elderly parents at our company.
We need to review the policies we have in place to support
these employees and determine additional programs that can be
added.
_______________________________________
HRM500_2_1_Angela-3: Excellent!
You both make good points!
Next, I would like for the two of you to start working on a plan
to implement the ideas we have discussed – addressing skill
deficiencies, meeting the needs of a diverse workforce, and
flexibility with employees.
This is a top priority for Human Resources and the organization
as a whole.
We will meet this afternoon to discuss your ideas for

implementing these new programs.
Slide 2
Scene 2
Addressing Skill Deficiencies
[Angela’s Office – later that afternoon]
HRM500_2_2_Angela-1: Ashley and Michael, I can’t wait to
hear the ideas you came up with for addressing skill
deficiencies.
HRM500_2_2_Michael-1: We’ve gotten a lot done!
I have contacted the local university, a community college, and
a high school to determine if they have students with computer
and technology skills.
I have asked their career services centers to identify candidates
with the educational achievements we are looking for –
Masters’ or Bachelors’ of Science degrees for the engineers,
and high school diplomas for the production workers and
customer service representatives
I also stressed the need for candidates to be fluent in basic
reading and math skills, as well as design blueprint reading.
They will learn the additional skills specific to our products and
services once they come on board, of course.
________________________________________
HRM500_2_2_Ashley-1: Also, more and more employers are
looking for verbal and interpersonal skills in their employees.
HRM500_2_2_Angela-2: Can you be more specific?
HRM500_2_2_Michael-2: I can add on to that!
Interpersonal skills are important when communicating with

others.
Today’s employees must be able to handle a variety of
responsibilities, interact with customers, and think creatively.
_________________________________________
HRM500_2_2_Angela-3: Competition for qualified college
graduates is fierce.
Workers with less education have to take lower paying jobs.
Of course, we will have to provide the training needed for new
employees.
HRM500_2_2_Michael-3: Yes, exactly!
Not all positions needed by our company require a college
education.
We will need to develop a training program to provide the skills
that are needed.
HRM500_2_2_Angela-4: These are all good ideas!
Adequate training for new employees and the ongoing
development of our workforce will be critical in order for the
company to maintain a competitive advantage.
_______________________________________
HRM500_2_2_Ashley-2: Also, in some cases, we are not using
the full potential of our employees.
Creating a high performance work system will ensure that the
organization meets the demands of customers with high quality
and customized products.

HRM500_2_2_Angela-5: Great work, you two!
Let’s do a quick practice exercise to reinforce what we’ve
learned about addressing skill deficiencies here at Montrose.
Slide 3
Interaction 1
Michael and Ashley have been given files of new hires with
different skill sets.
They have to decide which ones to hire based on their resumes,
which will appear on-screen, and the company’s needs, which
they have explained in the previous scene.
There will be a mixture of employees with the skills they need
and ones with irrelevant skills.
Slide 4
Scene 3
Racial, Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in the Workplace
[Angela’s Office – 10 minutes later, after interaction activity]
HRM500_2_3_Angela-1: You did very well on the skill
deficiencies exercise.
Now let’s get started discussing your plans for supporting
diversity in the workplace for women and minorities.
Keep in mind that we cannot diminish their contributions to
product quality and customer service, and we need to make sure
that they feel comfortable and valued within our organization.
_____________________________________
HRM500_2_3_Michael-1: Great – we’ve done quite a bit of
research on this topic.

First, we can create diversity networks that cater to a variety of
ethnic backgrounds and religions, as well as female employees.
It is important for us to know about the different cultures
represented here at Montrose and be able to communicate with
employees from a variety of backgrounds.
_______________________________________
HRM500_2_3_Ashley-1: We also can recommend selecting
sponsors in senior leadership positions to support each network.
HRM500_2_3_Michael-2: We then can create a wall and invite
employees to decorate it based on their ethnic background.
HRM500_2_3_Ashley-2: We can also encourage employees of
different backgrounds to suggest services and products that
would meet the needs of a variety of consumers of different
racial and ethnic backgrounds.
HRM500_2_3_Angela-2: These are all great ideas!
Let’s do another quick practice exercise to help us remember
the concepts we’ve been discussing regarding diversity in the
workforce.
Then we can meet back here in ten minutes to discuss your third
and final assignment.
Slide 5
Interaction 2
Case study interaction – 3 case studies are presented of fictional
employees with different concerns or issues related to race, sex
or culture, plus an explanation of how the company chose to
handle each one. In each situation, the students must choose
whether the company handled the situation in a way that
promotes diversity or in a way that does not.

Scene 4
Flexibility with Employees
[Conference Room– 10 minutes later and after interaction]
HRM500_2_4_Angela-1: Great job on that activity, team!
I can see that you have really been doing your homework!
Now on to our final implementation plan.
What did you find out about options for flexibility?
HRM500_2_4_Ashley-1: Well Angela, as we know, the
organization must be flexible in order to retain talent.
HRM500_2_4_Michael-1: Yes - creating flexibility to allow
parents to attend school conferences and children’s sporting
events, volunteer, and also care for elderly parents.
We can support employees in these areas by asking them to
trade off hours to attend these events for other times when they
are needed to support the business.
_______________________________________
HRM500_2_4_Ashley-2: For those caring for elderly parents,
we will identify resources outside of the organization such as
programs to provide elder care while employees are at work.
HRM500_2_4_Michael-2: We can also allow employees the
flexibility to take family members to the doctor and have the
option to use sick time or make up their hours within the work
week.
HRM500_2_4_Angela-2: This is a good plan.

Do you have any specific ideas about retaining older workers
and helping them succeed here at Montrose?
HRM500_2_4_Michael-3: We sure do!
Today, older workers tend to work longer.
Many plan to work in some capacity through retirement.
HRM500_2_4_Ashley-3: We’ve found that our older employees
are performing just as well as the younger workers.
We have found that despite the stereotypes, older workers do
have the capacity to learn and master new technology.
HRM500_2_4_Angela-3: I agree.
However, a potential downfall is that the company may see an
increase in health benefit costs for older workers.
HRM500_2_4_Michael-4: Yes, but remember that we are also
benefiting from these employees’ talent and knowledge.
We may also want to create Mentorship Programs and pair older
workers with younger workers to help them navigate the work
environment and pass on knowledge gained through work
experience.
HRM500_2_4_Ashley-4: Good thinking, Michael!
In order to attract and retain older workers, we can offer
medical and dental benefits to part time workers.
We can offer them retirement planning and retraining as well.

I also feel that by offering additional time off to workers it may
motivate workers whose careers have reached their highest
levels.
HRM500_2_4_Angela-4: These are all good plans, team.
It is important that our older workers know that we value their
contributions to the organization and that their experience
benefits the company.
They have years of skills and knowledge that can’t be replaced!
Let’s take one last break to do a quick exercise on promoting
flexibility in the workplace.
Slide 7
Interaction 3
Drag and drop interaction where students have to place the
examples listed below into two categories – “flexible” or
“inflexible”.
The company offers single mother “Pam” a condensed 4-day
work week.
The company does not allow “Jerry”, who coaches his son’s t-
ball team, to trade off hours in order to leave early for far away
games, so he is forced to resign as coach.
The company helps “Linda” find hospice care for her elderly
mother, who is living in her home.
The company fires “Paul” after he must take off several weeks
to deal with his wife’s chronic illness.
Slide 8

Scene 5
(Conclusion)
[Conference Room]
HRM500_2_5_Angela-1: Nice work on that last exercise, team!
So what have we accomplished today?
HRM500_2_5_Ashley-1: Well, we first addressed the needs of a
diverse and aging workforce in terms of skill deficiencies.
Then we discussed the need for employees to possess
mathematical, verbal and interpersonal skills.
Later we explained the need for flexibility in order to retain
talent and meet the needs of our employees, including older
workers.
Our team then devised a plan for recruiting from a racially and
ethnically diverse market to create products and services that
appeal to a wide range of consumers.
HRM500_2_5_Michael-1: Great job Ashley!
We also learned that we need employees with decision making,
customer service, teamwork, and technical skills.
I also learned that as an organization faces a skill shortage, we
may have to hire employees who lack certain skills, and then
train them on the job.
HRM500_2_5_Angela-2: Excellent!
I think you both have a good understanding of current labor
force trends and how we should move forward in order to
maintain a competitive advantage at Montrose.

I am recommending to senior management that all of the plans
you presented today be implemented ASAP!
That’s all for today, team – don’t forget to complete your
discussions on labor force trends and the nature of
organizations.
Oh, and please check out the article I posted in your Additional
Resources folder from the Houston Chronicle on External and
Internal Environmental Factors Influencing HR Activities when
you get some free time.
Have a great week!
HRM500 Week 3 Scenario Script: Work/Life Balance; Planning
and Recruiting Human Resources
Slide #
Scene/Interaction
Narration
HRM500 Week 3 Scenario Script - Part 1: Work/Life Balance
Slide 1
Introduction Page
Slide 2
Scene 1
Angela’s Office
[HR Director Angela, HR Manager Michael and HR Manager
Ashley]

Angela: Ashley and Michael, I have been looking at the
absences in the organization and reviewed the feedback from
the last survey regarding work/life balance concerns.
Our employees want more flexibility to attend their kids’
sporting events, take them to doctor’s appointments, and to visit
or volunteer at the school.
They are also concerned with childcare costs and caring for
elderly parents.
Ashley: Also, our single parents have a hard time finding
affordable child care and health insurance.
Michael: Middle class families with two incomes have to work
longer hours and it’s hard for them to coordinate care for their
children outside of school hours.
Families are torn between spending time at work or with their
family.
Slide 3
Scene 2
Angela’s Office
Angela: What do the two of you suggest so that we can meet the
needs of our employees? Keep in mind that more than half of
our workforce represents single parent homes.
Ashley: We need to expand our health benefits to offer more
complete coverage to our employees’ children, for one thing. In
addition, we could provide education benefits for our workers.
We can provide vouchers toward day care costs and referrals for
individuals caring for elderly parents.
Michael: We need to incorporate flex time that will allow
employees to attend activities for their school aged children.

Angela: This will also give us an advantage in our recruiting
efforts.
Slide 4
Scene 3 – Angela’s Office
Ashley: When providing flextime, we need to make sure we still
have enough employees at work to meet the needs of our
customers.
Michael: We can require employees to give us at least a week’s
notice prior to the time off needed, and they can make up the
time away from work within the same work week. This will
prevent other employees from becoming overworked and the
company from paying overtime.
Ashley: We will need to look at forecasts for each day to
determine how many people can have time off in a given day.
Exempt employees will have the option to work from home
remotely to make up the hours, since each has been assigned a
laptop.
Slide 4
Interaction:
What suggestions can be made to young managers regarding
work-life balance?
Leaders are willing to accommodate work-life balance
challenges if your performance is up to par.
Work-life policies are a recruiting tool and work arrangements
should be negotiated with your leader within the work
environment.

Employees that continue to have work-life balance issues can be
viewed as entitled, uncommitted and even incompetent.
Although leaders are accommodating when it comes to work-life
balance, many ultimately believe it is your responsibility to
solve the problem.
Slide 5
Scene 3
Angela’s Office
Angela: Great job! The two of you have come up with some
good ideas on how we can support our workforce in the area of
work-life balance by addressing employee requests for more
flexibility to attend their kids’ sporting events, take them to
doctor’s appointments, and become more involved in their
school lives.
Ashley: We also brainstormed ideas for managing childcare
costs and caring for elderly parents.
Michael: So what comes next, Angela?
Angela: Our final steps will be to take our recommendations to
the executive team and determine how much is in the budget to
support these programs. We will also need to look at the impact
on operations and research the possible elimination of
underutilized programs so that funding can be redirected
towards the new programs.
In the meantime, let’s move to the conference room to discuss
the next item on our agenda - Planning and Recruiting Human
Resources.
HRM500 Week 3 Scenario Script - Part 2: Planning and
Recruiting Human Resources
Slide 6
Part 2 - Introduction
Slide 7
Scene 4

· Conference Room
Angela: Ashley and Michael, I just came from Montrose’s
strategic management planning meeting for the upcoming year.
We will need to consider forecasting the demand for labor,
determine the labor supply, and define labor shortage.
Based on a trend analysis of the previous year, we will need to
increase our work force by ten-percent to meet the demands.
This estimate is based on changes in the economy and
technology, competitors, and trends in the workforce.
Scene 5 – Conference Room
Ashley: Based on our inventory levels and the forecasted
demand for our products and services, the need to hire more
employees is justified.
Michael: Before we make a hasty decision to hire new
employees, we should consult with experts in the field who can
review and analyze statistical planning models and look at the
history of our growth and relationships between variables.
Some variables may include customer buying patterns and call
center call history.
Angela: Good observations, both of you!
Ashley, I would like for you to review inventory and service
levels for the previous twelve months.
Michael, I would like for you to contact Source Forecasting to
help us with determining labor demands for the upcoming year
based on the previous year’s demand for our products and
services and other variables external to the company.

Let’s meet tomorrow morning to discuss your findings.
Slide 8
Angela: Good morning! Yesterday I asked you to review
inventory and service levels for the previous twelve months and
to contact Source Forecasting to help us determine labor
demands for the upcoming year.
Ashley, tell me what you found out.
Ashley: Based on historical trends, we need to increase our
staffing levels by fifteen-percent, which is five-percent more
than originally stated. This takes into consideration voluntary
and involuntary terminations and the potential for employees to
move to new positions.
Michael: When I contacted Source Forecasting, they were able
to look at trends in the economy, competitors within our
industry, changes in technology, and trends in the labor force.
They recommended a fifteen-percent increase in staff as well.
*Address will be shown on slide (www.bls.gov)
Angela: Sounds like you both got solid information! Next we
will need to look at determining the labor supply to fill these
positions.
We have to analyze detailed information of how many people in
the organization are in each job category and possess specific
skills.
Ashley: We may need to modify our plan to reflect changes due
to retirements, promotions, transfers, and voluntary and

involuntary terminations.
We will need to monitor the plan during the year to determine if
there are unforeseen circumstances that exist in the external
environment.
Angela: Where can we find this information?
Michael: Sources of data for the external labor market include
the Occupational Outlook Quarterly and the Monthly Labor
Review, which are both available through the Labor
Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics website.
Slide 9
Angela: Ashley and Michael, I would like for both of you to
review these sources today, and we will meet again later to
determine if there is a labor shortage in the areas we will be
hiring for, as well as your findings regarding the external labor
market.
Ashley, you did an excellent job looking at historical trends to
support the need to increase our staffing levels by fifteen-
percent, which was five-percent more than originally stated
based on voluntary and involuntary terminations and the
potential for employees to move to new positions.
Michael, you did a good job contacting Source Forecasting to
look at trending in the economy, competitors in our industry,
changes in technology, and patterns in the labor force.
Let’s complete a brief activity before you move on to your
assignment.
Slide 10
Interaction
Slide 11
Angela: Great job completing the activity.

Your last assignment was to check the Occupational Outlook
Quarterly and the Monthly Labor Review to determine if there
is a surplus or shortage of labor in the areas in which we will be
hiring. What did you find?
Michael: Based on the forecasts for labor demand and supply,
there is a surplus of customer representatives in the labor
market. There is a deficiency in skilled laborers, whom will we
need to manufacture our products.
Ashley: This will present serious hiring challenges for the
organization. The demand for skilled-trades positions is great.
The average age of skilled laborers working in this area is fifty-
five years, and the younger generation does not find skilled
labor positions attractive. However, since a higher number of
older workers are now working past retirement, if we could find
a way to recruit younger workers, we would already have
training opportunities in place for them through this older
generation.
Slide 12
Michael: There is a misconception that these jobs do not pay
well.
We will need to partner with the employment commission and
community colleges in the area.
We can offer paid education and training if students agree to a
two year commitment here at Montrose.
Ashley: We can hire employees who possess the core
competencies needed to be successful at the organization, and
then offer extensive training for new employees to cover any
gaps.

As a final option, we may decide to outsource some of our
production or customer service to a vendor.
Slide 13
Angela: These are all great ideas. I can tell that you have done
your research.
Now that we have ideas for meeting the demands of our increase
in products and services, we can create a plan and set a specific
goal for gauging our success in addressing our labor
deficiencies.
Our goals will be based on our analysis of labor supply and
demand. Ashley and Michael, you did a great job forecasting
the demand for labor, determining the labor supply, and
defining the labor shortage.
Don’t forget to participate in this week’s discussions and
complete your assignment on Trends in the Workplace. We will
meet next week to finalize staffing plans and set our goals –
have a great week, team!
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