a savings of over $500,000 in the first year alone among other ancillary benefits.IndividualAt the individual level of analysis, a firm is essentially taking the other side of the task analysis. By this, as written by Holton (1996), the firm or assessor should study individuals to determine who needs learning to accomplish those jobs tasks. According to Dessler (1997), verifying that there is a performance deficiency and determining whether that deficiency should be rectified through training or through some other means is the basis of performance analysis.Again, a good example of the individual level of analysis is demonstrated in the GM/UAW case. In this instance, not only was a training program instituted for the task level, there was a significant amount of energy placed on assessing the needs of the individuals already in place within this area. Finison and Szidlak (1997) demonstrate that GM and the UAW immediately involved personnel from the "blanker area" to determine what skills were needed to effectively promote increased production and decreased waste in this area. As stated earlier in this paper, those objectives were met early on in the overall process.CostCost Analysis is a type of analysis many businesses use to determine what costs are associated in a particular project in conjunction with the benefits that will be derived from it. As put by Marrelli (1996), cost analysis consists of two approaches: cost-benefit analysis (CBA), for evaluating benefits; and cost-effectiveness analysis, for evaluating results. A third point covered will be Return on Investment Analysis (ROI). Additionally, this paper will demonstrate several uses of these fundamental principles of Cost Analysis. Cost-Benefit AnalysisWhat is Cost-Benefit Analysis, or "CBA?" As stated by Erekson, Shaha and Swenson (1996), CBA's purpose is to weigh expected costs in relation to anticipated benefits, opportunities, or improvements in effectiveness. Ess...
