Job Analysis for Store Manager and CDO Roles: Subway

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).