Download c. 5 Video Case

c. 1 Video Case
Loyalty in the Workplace
This video links back to the opening case and the concern about employee
loyalty, particularly on the part of younger workers. Students should relate well to
this video. The questions asked are:
1. Is it realistic to expect young workers to be loyal to an organization? This
is probably not realistic, given the layoffs and downsizings of the 1990s
which affected their parents so badly. This provided them with hard
evidence of lack of loyalty on the part of organizations to their employees.
2. How important is employee loyalty to company performance? There is no
‘right’ answer, but students should realize that a certain amount of loyalty,
especially on the part of good employees, is crucial for stability in
organizations.
For companies who do want to create loyalty in their employees, what can
employers do to build organizational commitment in their younger employees?
Students are the experts in this regard.
c. 2 Video Case
The Tragically Smart
This video vividly illustrates how people with high IQ may not have
correspondingly high levels of EQ. The video raises the question of whether high
IQ people can fully realize their potential without at least moderate levels of EQ.
The questions asked are:
1. Why is EQ so important for success? EQ is important because of the
social aspects of success – fitting in, getting along with others,
understanding and being in control of one’s own and others’ emotions.
2. Why do high-IQ people appear to have low EQ? High IQ people may have
low EQ from experiences as social outcasts on the part of other children
who make fun of them when growing up, and from other adults because
they are stereotyped as ‘different’. They often end up feeling lonely and
isolated.
3. Do you agree with the perception of the high-IQ people in the video that it
is their right to live life without maximizing their potential in a more
traditional fashion? Personal opinion.
c. 3 Video Case
The Operator
This video illustrates an individual with very high need for achievement, high
need for power, and low need for affiliation. Morey Chaplick is on a mission to
create a video-store empire in high-energy fashion. The questions asked are:
1. Explain how Morey is motivated by need for achievement. Give examples.
Morey is determined to create a new retailing empire, and become known
for his ability to create successful new enterprises. He sees achievement
in getting others to buy into his vision of the new chain and in its ultimate
successful start-up.
2. Explain how Morey is motivated by need for power. Give examples. Is he
overly aggressive? He is definitely the boss. He works very hard at getting
others to come to his point of view ie. sell out to him. He loves it when
people say ‘never’ and then he gets them to change their minds and come
around to his point of view. He wants others to take down their signs, and
is organizing a buyers group, both of which relate to increasing his power.
His competitors say that he is ruthless. He is aggressive, but perhaps not
overly aggressive by entrepreneurial standards. He says he believes one
can get ‘more cooperation with honey than with sandpaper’, indicating that
he is trying not to be overly aggressive.
3. Is Morey motivated by need for affiliation? There is not much evidence in
the video of him wanting other people to like him.
c. 4 Video Case
Not the Retiring Kind
This video focuses on the growing numbers of Canadians who are not
willing to retire at age 65, and why. The focus of a class discussion of the video
should be on the rewards older people receive from work, and what sources of
feedback are relevant in this situation. The questions asked are:
1. What motivates these people to continue working after normal retirement
age? Workers over 65 often need money to supplement pension income,
and desire social rewards inherent in dealing with others as part of their
job. They also want the intrinsic reward of the feeling of a job well done.
2. What are the intrinsic rewards that people over 65 receive from their
work? These include a sense of accomplishment/achievement from a job
well done, a sense of purpose in life, and the knowledge that they are
making a difference (particularly evident in voluntary sector jobs).
3. What sources of feedback are important to those working past age 65?
For workers over 65, the most important feedback is from themselves and
others that they are helping in the course of their task. Feedback from
supervisors is generally not as important as it is to those in earlier stages
of their careers who are still working toward advancement in an
organization.
c. 5 Video Case
Bank Battle
This video chronicles the stressors faced by John Banca as he struggles to
keep his business alive. It will introduce students to the potential magnitude of
organizational stressors on an individual’s life. The questions asked are:
1. What stressors is John Banca subjected to during this 13-day ordeal? His
main stressors are work overload (individual) and change (organizational).
Other stressors may also be identified by students.
2. What methods does he use to cope with these stressors effectively? John
uses cognitive restructuring primarily (focusing on all available options),
and some time management.
3. Does John appear to have a ‘hardy’ personality? A Type A personality?
John appears to have a somewhat hardy personality because he shows
commitment (a sense of purpose about his mission to save the company),
and a sense of challenge (he is looking at opportunities not threats).
However, he knows he is not in control (the banks are).
c. 6 Video Case
Showdown on the Virtual Frontier
The new economy has brought with it new ethical issues that all those doing
business online must face. The video gives several specific examples of ethical
dilemmas in e-business to serve as a foundation for class discussion. The
questions asked are:
1. Is it ethical to ignore Internet law, even though there is very little of it?
Students should indicate that it is never ethical to ignore the law. Even a
conscientious objector has considered the law and rejected it on some
grounds (usually moral).
2. Explain how these Internet companies exhibit bounded rationality in their
decision making. These companies are satisficing by taking some
measures to find out what they can about the law but not going to every
single potential legal advisor. Therefore they have limited information.
Those who decide to let liability fall where it may are representing the
judgmental heuristic because they are using this attitude as a shortcut to
decision making; the availability heuristic because they are basing their
decision on readily available information (little to none); and the
representativeness heuristic because their impression is that they will
never get caught for any violations anyway because there have been so
few court cases.
3. What would you do about legal issues if you were starting up an Internet
business? It will be interesting to see how many students see this as a
non-issue given the material in the chapter about ethical decision making.
c. 7 Video Case
Guest-Tek
This video focuses on the young executive team at Guest-Tek, a Calgarybased software firm. The established team norms and the trust that has
developed between Arnon, the owner, and Kris, Director of Sales and Marketing,
are being challenged by venture capitalists with have recently provided a $1.5
million investment in the company. In particular, the venture capitalists think Kris
is not the right person to lead the sales and marketing area as the company
expands. The questions asked are:
1. How would you describe the executive team norms at Guest-Tek? Team
norms include being honest and forthright, open, and polite.
2. How would you describe the roles played by executive team members,
Arnon, Kris, and the advisors form Launchworks? Arnon is seen in the
roles of information seeker/giver, elaborator, orienter, encourager and
harmonizer. Kris is seen in the roles of opinion seeker/giver, coordinator,
energizer and gatekeeper. Launchworks advisors are seen in the roles of
initiator, evaluator, standard setter, and commentator.
3. Analyze the changes on the executive team using the model of group
development? The team has reached the performing stage prior to the
arrival of Launchworks. The addition of Launchworks advisors to the
senior management team has plunged the team back to the storming
stage as they address differences of opinion about staffing and
operational issues.
c. 8 Video Case
Stak-Its
This case illustrates a conflict between Kerry Lucier, a financially-strapped
entrepreneur, and Peter George, a sales executive he has hired to jump start the
company’s dismal sales record. Kerry is looking for more money. Peter has also
decided, without telling Kerry, to seek additional investment capital for the
company. Both hold meetings behind the other’s back, and tempers flare.
Eventually some new capital is obtained from previous investors, and Kerry and
Peter are back on speaking terms, but the company is still lacking long term
viability. The questions asked are:
1. What are the sources of conflict in this situation? This is an interpersonal
conflict based on lack of trust between Kerry and Peter. Both are trying to
influence the initial group of investors to provide more money to the
company.
2. What conflict resolution tactics were used to address the conflict between
Kerry and Peter? Kerry and Peter used forcing when each tried to shut the
other one out of their negotiations with the investors. Kerry even has a
security guard at one meeting in case Peter shows up. The investors try to
get Kerry and Peter to compromise and work together.
3. What could have been done differently to avoid or minimize the conflict
before it began? If Kerry and Peter had been able to communicate their
concerns to each other from the beginning, they would have realized that
they are both trying to accomplish the same objective – more financing. A
win-win approach could have been used and they could have collaborated
on their efforts to attract new financing.
c. 9 Video Case
Pitching a Dream
This video focuses on a high-pressure communication exercise required of
young Canadian new-economy entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley who are looking
for venture capital funding. They must deliver a 30-second ‘pitch’ in an elevator
ride, following which they may be selected to make a 10-minute presentation to
venture capitalists. The questions asked are:
1. What “noise” arises in the “elevator ride” communication scenario?
In the contest? The confined space, the sound of the elevator, and
the close physical proximity to the audience all create noise.
2. What were the most effective nonverbal aspects of the
presentations shown in the video? The presentation that was sung
was particularly memorable.
3. How could the presentations have been made more effective?
Personal opinion.
c. 10 Video Case
Battling Beauty Queens
This video provides a rich foundation for an analysis of power and
influence. Sylvia Stark is the power behind the Miss Canada International and
other smaller Canadian beauty pageants, and she provides an excellent example
of personalized power. Sylvia also provides a vivid demonstration of political
behaviour in action. The questions asked are:
1. What are Sylvia Stark’s bases of power? Sylvia has legitimate power as
head of the pageants; reward power as she seems to determine the
winners; coercive power and she determines who will give up their crown
after they win it; expert power as an experienced pageant organizer; but
no referent power as almost everyone dislikes her and doesn’t want to
have anything to do with her.
2. Does Sylvia demonstrate personalized or socialized power? Sylvia
demonstrates personalized power as so much of what she does is selfserving. Collecting money for charity would be an example of socialized
power, but even here, it is alleged that Sylvia is keeping that money for
herself. She is also accused of blackmail, and she pled guilty to
obstruction of justice.
3. What political tactics does Sylvia use to further her own interests? Sylvia
attacks and blames others – all the contestants – for death threats, the
fact that she lost a child, and that she can’t have children. She tries to
develop a base of support, although there is only one current reigning
beauty queen who supports her in the video. She associates with
influential people as much as she can eg. the Junos. She creates
obligations by sending a clear message that if you don’t do what she says,
she will take away the crown.
c. 11 Video Case
Banff School of Management
This video profiles the Banff School of Management’s leadership
development program. A wide variety of activities designed to push personal
limits are included in order to bring creative thinking back to business. Particular
emphasis is placed on the role of emotion and soul in leadership. The questions
asked are:
1. Does this course primarily build task-oriented or people-oriented
behaviours in leaders, or both? Explain. The main focus of the
Banff School of Management experience is on emotion and soul,
communication, and creativity which relate primarily to the people
aspects of leadership. However, traditional classroom training is
also provided, with more emphasis on the task aspect of
leadership.
2. Do you agree that the soul and emotion are important aspects of
leadership? Personal opinion. What leadership theories would
support your views? Primarily charismatic and transformational
leadership theories; possibly path-goal theory and LMX to a small
degree.
3. Would this course help to enhance a charismatic or
transformational leadership style? Explain. Yes, the course would
likely enhance charismatic and transformational tendencies,
particularly the activities that focus on strengthening drive and
passion.
c. 12 Video Case
Strange Bedfellows
This video chronicles the joint venture between archrivals The Toronto
Star and The Globe and Mail to create and operate the Internet job board called
workopolis.com. The motivation for this alliance was the entry of Monster.ca into
the Canadian market. Competitor alliances, once unheard of, now form about
half of all corporate alliances in today’s business environment. They are risky but
can work well, as is the case with Workopolis. The questions asked are:
1. Explain how the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star have demonstrated
open-system thinking in this situation. They have both looked outside their
own boundaries to the broader environment to seek new ways to compete
against Monstrer.ca.
2. Explain how this competitive alliance illustrates characteristics of a ‘new
style’ organization. It is a dynamic and learning-intensive operation
because it is so new; it is information-rich as it is Internet-based; it is
product/customer oriented rather than functionally oriented; it is lateral and
networked across organizations; and it is customer oriented by design.
3. Identify several strategic constituencies that have been satisfied in this
case. Shareholders in both companies have been satisfied because this is
a successful business venture; customers have been satisfied because
the site has so many jobs and job-seekers due to its size; and the public at
large is served by having an alternative to Monster.ca.
c. 13 Video Case
Gap Adventures
This video profiles an adventure travel/ecotourism company owned by a
young entrepreneur, Bruce Poon Tip. The company has grown rapidly and a new
marketing expert, Dave Bowen, had been brought in to facilitate a change to
greater customer focus. The company has a strong culture, and resistance to
change soon appear when cultural assumptions are questioned, and artifacts are
redesigned. The questions asked are:
1. What corporate values have changed at Gap Adventures since the arrival
of Dave Bowen? Less focus on ethical sensibilities, conservationism, and
the laid-back family atmosphere, and more focus on customers, hard
work, discipline, efficiency.
2. Explain how the culture change at Gap Adventures has affected the four
functions of culture. The organizational identity has changed shifted from a
small, family atmosphere with entrepreneurial spirit to a more traditional
corporate identity. The collective commitment has been strained by Dave’s
style. The social system has become less stable with the advent of Dave’s
authority and the decrease in Bruce’s involvement in the day-to-day
activities of the company. The company may make less sense to
employees than it did before when it was so unique because its underlying
values have changed.
3. Do you agree with Bruce’s assessment of the changes at Gap
Adventures, as he expresses them at the end of the video? Personal
opinion, but many may agree with his view that the company is more
serious, more controlled, more corporate and less relaxed.