The main reason behind Peterson Paper Products (PPP) letting go of Rick lies in his inability, or, rather, unwillingness, to “fit in.” It has been shown that the PPP collective can be hostile toward outsiders due to the close bonds that have already been established (Blanchard & Thacker, 2019). In this context, Rick’s constant innovative actions were interpreted as intrusive since he did not have enough authority to force anything.
The reasons for the collective not accepting Rick despite his attempts remain vague. Firstly, it might be the jealousy of other colleagues for Mr. Peterson’s attention – Rick spent a significant amount of time with the president during his first days in the company (Blanchard & Thacker, 2019). Secondly, it might be for agism to hinder Rick’s proposals – as the youngest character presented in the case study, Rick could have gotten too ambitious in the eyes of his elder colleagues. Thirdly, there could be some hidden plot behind sales drops, which Rick could have discovered if he got too close to PPP’s accounting spreadsheets. Unfortunately, the text of the case study does not explicitly state the true motives of characters besides Rick, leaving only hints of their disapproval of Rick’s actions.
In the context of the reinforcement theory, Rick’s motivation was strengthened by positive reinforcement from Mr. Peterson. According to the case study, the latter was literally the only person in PPP who encouraged Rick (Blanchard & Thacker, 2019). Moreover, this positive reinforcement was strong enough to outweigh negative reinforcement from the other company’s staff. In turn, the motivation of the PPP collective was slightly positively reinforced by Rick’s initial attempts to establish collaboration but was consequently negatively outweighed by his radical actions. From the perspective of the expectancy theory, Rick thought Mr. Peterson’s support promised great success. As the outcomes of his proposals, Rick saw a very likely growth in the company’s sales, which had a great valence. This is why he put so much effort into promoting change.
In short, Rosie’s and Walter’s reactions to Rick’s computer showcase resistance to change on all organizational levels. According to (Blanchard & Thacker, 2019), there are three such levels – the organization itself, groups and relationships between them, and individuals. In this context, the change process will fail if it does not manage to address all three levels (Blanchard & Thacker, 2019). Agreeing with an “outsider” to set up the computer rivals the established organizational authority system. In the meantime, letting Rick take over the financial supervision causes significant shifts in group responsibilities. Finally, transitioning to computer-based operation meant changing the ways Rosie and Walter used to work for years.
In order to succeed in implementing changes, Rick should have spent more time involving Rosie and Walter in the process instead of abruptly acting by himself. As mentioned in the third chapter of Blanchard’s and Thacker’s text (2019), “involvement is a key part of overcoming resistance to change (p. 95). Rick could have had much more chances to succeed if he had devoted more time explaining his actions, reasoning, and exemplifying the potential benefits to his colleagues.
From the perspective of the social learning theory, Rick’s inability to “fit in” results from his poor interpretation of the reinforcement he received. The social learning theory states that individual motivation is constructed from observations (Blanchard & Thacker, 2019). Individuals discretely evaluate events, subjectively emphasize the most important details, and consequently retain patterns that they deem the most positive. For example, Rick paid a lot of attention to Mr. Peterson’s approval; thus, he retained the pattern of constantly consulting him. In turn, Rick disregarded warnings from other colleagues since he believed them to be either unproductive or groundless. Therefore, this kind of favoritism did win over Mr. Peterson at the beginning but failed to persuade the whole PPP collective in the end.
4) If I were to develop a management training program for the senior managers at PPP, I would base it on the theoretical framework of andragogy. Andragogy theory highlights that adult learning is significantly different from child learning due to the former showcasing much more cynicism and pragmatism (Blanchard & Thacker, 2019). Therefore, adults have to be motivated in order to learn voluntarily.
To begin with, it is understandable that senior managers are restricted in time and would not waste it on irrelevant matters. Thus, I would have shown senior management the relevance of the training program. Then, I would have elaborated on the direct value of training for each individual to prove its relevance further. Moreover, since individual performance is predominantly based on individual knowledge, skills, and attitudes, I would have made learning subjects with those in mind (Blanchard & Thacker, 2019). In the meantime, I would attempt not to intervene more than I have to in their learning process. This balance is vital because adults, especially those in older age and senior managerial positions, would not appreciate intense supervision. Finally, I would ensure the possibility of a direct practical application of obtained theoretical skills since practice is key to adult learning.
Reference
Blanchard, N. P. & Thacker, J. (2019). Effective training: Systems, strategies, and practices (6th ed.). Chicago Business Press.