Job Analysis for Store Manager and CDO Roles: Subway
This paper presents a job analysis of two positions observed in the "Subway" episode of Undercover Boss Season 2: Store Manager and Chief Development Officer (CDO). Drawing on academic sources, the paper outlines the key responsibilities and qualifications associated with each role, discusses challenges facing retail store managers such as high turnover and compensation dissatisfaction, and examines how customer loyalty is linked to effective store management. The paper also evaluates the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) as a job analysis tool in the context of evolving HR practices, presents a formal job description for a Chief Business Development Officer, and identifies the regulatory frameworks governing compliant job descriptions.
- Introduction and Episode Overview: Identifies two roles observed in Subway episode
- Job Analysis: Chief Development Officer: CDO responsibilities in strategic business development
- Job Analysis: Store Manager: Store manager duties, challenges, and performance
- Customer Loyalty and the Store Manager Role: Technology and business plans to improve loyalty
- Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) as a Job Analysis Method: PAQ effectiveness in modern HR appraisal systems
- Job Description: Chief Business Development Officer: Formal CBDO job description and qualifications
- Regulatory Compliance: Legal standards governing the job description
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What makes this paper effective
- It grounds a theoretical HR exercise in a concrete, observable source — a specific television episode — giving the job analysis real-world context that makes abstract concepts more tangible.
- It moves logically from role identification, to job analysis, to formal job description, to compliance review, mirroring the actual sequence an HR professional would follow.
- It integrates multiple academic citations to support each section, demonstrating that even a practically oriented analysis can be anchored in scholarly literature.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates applied job analysis methodology — translating observed workplace behavior into structured role definitions. It pairs primary observation (the television episode) with secondary academic sources to validate each role's responsibilities, a technique common in introductory HR coursework where students learn to bridge real-world data and theoretical frameworks.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens by identifying the two target roles from the episode, then devotes a section to each role's job analysis. It follows with a focused discussion of customer loyalty as it relates to store management, evaluates the PAQ instrument in the current HR environment, presents a full sample job description for a CBDO position, and closes with a review of the legal and regulatory standards that govern job descriptions. The structure is functional and progressive, building from observation to documentation to compliance.
Introduction and Episode Overview
This paper presents a job analysis based on the "Subway" episode (Season 2, Episode 9) of the television series Undercover Boss. Two positions have been identified for analysis: Store Manager and Chief Development Officer (CDO). In the episode, Subway's Chief Development Officer, Dan Fretman, goes undercover to assist with the development of Subway stores. The Store Manager role is represented by four individuals who work alongside Dan during his undercover assignment.
Job Analysis: Chief Development Officer
The central role that development plays in strategic business decision-making has created a need for managers who understand both development concepts and their practical applications to processes, products, and services. A number of firms have addressed this need by creating the position of CDO — or Chief Technology Officer (CTO) — with responsibilities that include:
Monitoring new technologies and evaluating their potential to develop into new services or products; supervising research venture selection to ensure projects are capable of adding value to the organization; offering sound technical evaluations of potential mergers and acquisitions; participating in industrial, governmental, and educational groups that capture useful data and provide opportunities to advance the organization's reputation; and communicating company offerings and future plans to trade media.
Incorporating these development-based functions into organizational strategy requires the CDO to cultivate strong relationships with key company personnel, including the CEO, Executive Committee members, research lab directors, marketing heads, and senior scientists (Smith, 2002).
Job Analysis: Store Manager
While store managers are generally satisfied with the key managerial activities of their role, they are concurrently dissatisfied with their compensation. Another significant barrier to carrying out their duties effectively is the high personnel turnover rate characteristic of the retail industry. It is also worth noting that store managers today report considerable job insecurity, indicating that economic pressures are beginning to affect them psychologically.
Retail store managers must strive to deliver the highest quality of service and ensure that customers leave with an memorable in-store experience. At the same time, managers must supervise their teams effectively and meet the retailer's routine operational and sales goals. They may draw useful conclusions about how to better execute retail management approaches and programs, and how to motivate staff. This involves crafting more comprehensive job descriptions that define individual performance evaluation criteria and ensure adequate training across distinct areas of responsibility (Zairis, 2013).
References
Barwa, T. M. (n.d.). The effectiveness of Position Analysis Questionnaires (PAQ) in performance appraisal systems. Institute of Management Specialists.
DHMRI. (n.d.). Chief Business Development Position. Retrieved from DHMRI:
Mishra, D. (2013). Subway customer loyalty and evaluating marketing strategies. Journal of Business Management & Social Sciences Research, 17–30.
Smith, R. D. (2002). The role of the Chief Technology Officer in strategic innovation, project execution, and mentoring.
Zairis, A. (2013). The retail store managers' role: Evidence from Greece. International Journal of Business Science and Applied Management, 27–40.
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