1. Imagine that a company is entering foreign markets for the first time with a new product. Explain how that company would act and react using the “calm waters” metaphor and the “white water rapids” metaphor. Under what conditions would each be successful?
Penetrating into a new market is a tough exercise and it is even worse when the product is new. However, with the “Calm waters” metaphor the company should restructure its state in a way advantageous to it has a permanent goal of sustainable profits or other achievements in future. In this case, the company should make its product appear unique in its use and utile to the market. The working environment of the product is new and dynamic bringing with it various effects some being negative and others positive to the company’s product. The management of the company should not thus only lie strategies to predict the future of its business environment although not ease at times as things go astray but also put in place coping and quick response strategies. This is “White water rapids” metaphor. In other words, the company should work in assumption of all good to happen but be ready to take any risk.
2. You have an employee that appears willing to do whatever is necessary to raise to the top of the organization. She also continually dominates team discussions and according to many who work with her appears to think quite a bit of her own talents. What personality forces are at work and how might they affect organizational goals? As her manager, how do you harness her efforts for the company’s good?
An organization is successful as its workforce and useless as the same workforce. Human beings being the key workforce in an organization are in the drive by personality of both selfishness and egoism interest. It is worthwhile concluding that the personality of the workforce in an organization is its determinant of how things are done in the pursuit of organizational goal. A personality that is egocentric, individualistic, and selfish at times is dangerous in that the persons involved usually work to their benefit no matter what harm they will cause to others. For instance, the worker in reference may cost the company a fortune by undermining all the company’s social responsibility to its workers as the worker above will present his or her self in a way to forget the importance of working together to achieve.
3. Would a self-managed, cross-functional, or problem-solving team be best for dealing with i) a crisis, ii) researching the next generation product, or iii) developing the five-year strategy for a School of Business?
Crises are universal and severe in their effect it is with only self-management that organizations will reduce their effects. Being self-managed as a team makes it easy to respond to any calamity as quick as possible. This is usually by realizing the existence and possibility of such crises in advance.
Determination of the next fate of business of an organization is usually considered as management’s problem and thus a good problem solving team is best to deal with in researching the next generation product as it enhances creativity. Cross-functional team is best dealt with in the development of long-term strategy of a business in that it involves collection of diverse knowledge and experience from various angles and perspectives.
4. My boss believes that, “money talks and everything else walks.” She constantly states that “praising an employee’s work, listening to their concerns, and making them feel like they are part of a team that has accomplished something positive is useless without money.” How would you respond to her statements based on the concept of Equity Theory? In addition, how would you respond to her based on the concepts of the Two-Factor Theory?
Many work to raise their status. The equity theory is in support of the statement as it takes a stand on the attainment of equality between workers' effort into organizations' business and the benefit derived by employees in the business. In this case then the workforce will consider the monetary reward in a monetary seeking firm.
As in accordance with the Two-Factor theory, lower order needs in the ranking of Maslow are less important in the attainment of satisfaction in the workplace. The statement that money talks while everything else walks do not apply hear as other human needs top most being self-actualization takes prior concern.
5. What are the primary differences between Contingency Theories of leadership and the concept of the Managerial Grid? Which theory applies to leadership in the military, civil service, and a cutting-edge small technology firm?
Contingency theories of leadership consider a combination of leadership style and the environment within and outside the group available in the leader’s control. Management grid is determinant leadership style as it assesses work done and employee’s importance. Thus, a leader may choose to consider the task performed by employees more important than the employees did while he or she may also consider otherwise.
In the military as it is matter of authoritarian will be best served by a management grid that ranks tasks higher than workers do. Innovative technology firm and civil service will directly serviced by the contingency theories of leadership.
