What is This Case Study About?
The case study is about Organizational Behavior (OB), and how it affects productivity and work ethics. OB is highlighted in the case study through different characters including, Amie Lee, Hahn Chen, and Abdul Balli. Abdul, who is a manager, promotes Amie based on her excellent interaction with both employees and clients. However, Hahn disagrees with the promotion stating that Amie will not add any value to the position as she lacks technical expertise. Due to this, Hahn would like a transfer. It should be noted that both Amie and Hahn can be described as ideal employees with much knowledge in their fields.
What Areas of OB Does It Cover?
Organizational Behavior has several essential elements. One such element that is brought out through the case study is that of leadership (Tinti, Venelli-Costa, Martins-Vieira & Cappellozza, 2017). It can be argued that Abdul, who is the manager, has strong leadership skills. First, he weighs the merits and demerits of promoting Amie Lee. He acknowledges that she has excellent customer relations, and ties this value to the organization’s strategy. Additionally, Abdul also tries to resolve the complaint against Amie by bringing together all affected parties. He acknowledges that both sides have valid reasons for their actions and opinions.
The case study also covers the concept of company structure. Even though Abdul recognizes the benefit of promoting Amie, Hahn does not. Additionally, Hahn appears to be unsure of Amie’s job description. For instance, Hahn believes that Amie should only deal with customers as a salesperson, but should not be promoted to supervisor as that position requires someone with a background in technology and innovation. In line with the stated, one can also argue that the technical person still needs non-technical expertise to run the department smoothly.
The case study also covers the concept of culture. Organizational culture partly involves how employees treat and view each other (Moonjoo, 2017). One of the oldest employees in the company has a negative attitude towards the colleague. According to Hahn, there is no way Amie can supervise him as she lacks the technical expertise to understand his work. Additionally, from Hahn’s behavior, one can denote a feeling of superiority. He, thus, belittles Amie due to her non-technical background.
What Are Some of the Theories That Are Covered in This Case? How Would You Apply Them?
Two OB theories can be applied in the case study provided. The first, the System Model, supports the integration of different views, skills, and opinions in a work setting. Abdul applies this OB theory in his leadership style. He not only engages technical experts, such as Hahn but also involves non-technical experts, such as Amie. The second theory that can be applied to the case study is the Collegial Model. The Collegial Model appreciates the need for consensus in business. Using this theory, Abdul can resolve the problem by sharing powers between Hahn and Amie. In turn, Hahn would also be promoted to a supervisor. The division of power would then be based on expertise, where Hahn can supervise technical issues while Amie can manage the non-technical aspects.
Could This Problem Have Been Avoided by Abdul? How?
Yes, Abdul could have avoided the problem. It can be argued that indeed, Hahn has reason to question the ability of Amie to supervise technical matters, as she does not understand them. Thus, it would have been more appropriate for Abdul to create two positions for the technical and non-technical supervisor. The two would then work together for the benefit of the whole organization.
What is Your Solution to This Problem?
The current problem is that Hahn refuses to work under Amie. To resolve the stated problem, Abdul should consider creating a second position. It should be noted that Hahn does not have an issue with being supervised. His primary concern is being managed by a non-technical person. Thus, Abdul can hire anyone else to fill in the position of technical supervisor if he feels Hahn is not well suited for the job.
What Needs to Be Done to Get The Department Running Smoothly Again?
To get the department running smoothly again, the manager has to call another meeting with both Amie and Hahn. Abdul then has to acknowledge the potential of both employees and further explain the need to create a second position. Abdul should be clear that both positions have to work together to ensure the seamless functioning of the department. Abdul should then work with the Human Resource department to come up with comprehensive job descriptions for both positions.
How Will You Prevent This Problem From Occurring Again in the Company?
To prevent such incidents in the future, I would liaise with the Human Resource department before doing any promotions. A keen review of the job description will allow the manager to pick the best candidate for any position. Additionally, if the budget allows, one can recommend the creation of two positions to cater for both the technical and non-technical aspects.
References
Moonjoo, K. (2017). Effects of team diversity, transformational leadership, and perceived organizational support on team-learning behavior. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, 45(8), 1255-1270.
Tinti, J. A., Venelli-Costa, L., Martins-Vieira, A., & Cappellozza, A. (2017). The impact of human resources policies and practices on organizational citizenship behaviors. Brazilian Business Review, 14(6), 636-653.