Case Analysis Of Centaur Office Supplies Business Essay

The instance survey describes a form of organizational disfunction encountered in medium to big administration today. An single or group demands to aline themselves with his/her administrations ends. Hindrance to this can be explained or demonstrates uneffective leading from hgis or her director.

The instance survey identifies that there is a relationship struggle due to interpersonal mutual exclusivenesss between Frank Wilkes and George Bennett. As with all relationship struggle, this one belongs to the dysfunctional type as George has been really self-asserting and uncooperative with Frank Wilkes.

We will write a custom essay sample on
Case Analysis Of Centaur Office Supplies Business Essay
or any similar topic only for you
Order now

Problem in this instance survey arose from Gross saless Director Frank Wilkes and the Production Director, George Bennett interpersonal struggle, ensuing from George refusal to implement a first-come-first-serve occupation in favour of Frank. In this instance their single ends and political orientations harmonizing to Handy ( p.301 ) might be the chief cause of their struggle. Clearly Simon Yates at Centaur can non digest this type struggle particularly between his managers.

I n the Short term Frank Wilkes has tendered surrender whereas in the Long term the company faces a competitory turbulent market and its trouble maintaining clasp of its regular clients while increasing their client base.

Analysis

Handy ( 1999, pg 299 -300 ) listed clearly symptons that can be applied to centaur struggle. Lateral and perpendicular Commincation was hapless between gross revenues and production sections. Interpersonal clash existed between Frank and Georg etc. As it further states its possible the there is an built-in competition between both parties.

This instance survey shows the being of two types of struggle, intergroup organisational struggles ( work manner clangs, seniority/juniority and pay equity struggle, in this instance the purposive behaiviour of Frank blocks that of George ) and interpersonal struggle ( signifier of struggle for workplace participants in this instance between the managers ) ( a ) .

Organizational behavior Tells us that Power battle can besides be major beginning of organisational struggle ( Buchanan & A ; Huczynski, 1997 Pg 821, fig 24.1 ) .

The destructive nature of this struggle affects morale, productiveness and even turnover as in Centaur

Although struggle is frequently perceived as something negative, research suggests that some struggle can really better organisational effectivity as shown in fig 1.0 at page3.

Handy besides stated that administration struggles consequences due to alterations in engineering, organisational re-structuring, concern demands and competitory force per unit areas, Muzafar & A ; Carolyn ( 1950 ) stresses the demand for organizational structural alteration when struggle arise. Business demands from its competitory market might hold triggered this struggle here..

Personal motive and power non inclined with organizational demands in the competitory market resulted besides in this subordinated struggles.

Social Level of Analysis

Centaur is faced with increased competition which should trip organizational alteration. Administration like Centaur with ferocious competition are good advised to debureaucratise instead than stay bureaucratic.

Centaur ‘s construction is a ‘Tall Organization Structure ‘ ( Buchanan & A ; Huczynski, 1997 Pg 452 ) . Tall constructions by and large implies a high degree of bureaucratism with few employees describing to each manager as in this instance. So the the span-of-control of each manager is thin, little or narrow.

The dynamic nature and altering activities of centaur calls for direction action in ( Emery-trist ) turbulent environment been experienced [ 2 ] & A ; [ 3 ] .

Theorist Burns and Stalker emphasis the demand for organizational structural alteration for Centaur. Centaur should aline it self to suit this disruptive environment. They besides implied that bureacracy does non suit an unstable environment. Hence a differentiated construction is needed in conformity with eventuality theoretician.

A more antiphonal organizational construction is needed to guarantee Centaur endurance, Centaur needs to command his environmental uncertainness ( maintaining clients and acquring new 1s ) by maintining clients trueness etc.

Organisational degree of Analysis

Centaur should be runing in a bureaucratic manner, opposed to assorted theories of structure-environment ‘fit ‘ ( Lawrence and Lorsch ; Burns and Stalker ) . This features task specification, a stiff ‘top-down ‘ concatenation of bid and communicating for illustration from the instance survey ‘ ‘aˆ¦aˆ¦dealing with all the Centaur bureaucratism a quotation mark by Frank Wilkes ‘ . Besides the absence of inter-departmental cordinational mechanisims ( a chief characteristic in hebdomadal meeting ) might decide work related issues before the struggle arose.

The disruptive envitronment faced by Centaur requires its flexibleness and reactivity.

Though George Bennett has masterminded the new engineering that does non look to be to the full utilized to run into organisation ends. This new engineering threatens to gnaw Wilkes ‘s liberty and power base complectly ‘..boasting centaur gross revenues by 20 % a twelvemonth ‘ .

Buchanan & A ; Huczynski besides wrote that power is besides an counterpoison to organizational struggle as said earlier. Evidence that Frank Wilkes has had this confrontation with George Bennett before might bespeak this to Simon Yakes. Who took no action to forestall this conflict go oning once more.

Looking at the civilization once more at Centaur, It is clear that the environment the company is in favoring a task civilization alternatively of a function civilization ( Handy 1999, chapter 7 ) , which is appropriate for Centaur flexibleness and its sensitiveness to the market.

For ad-lib occupations like the Atlas history a designated squad should be signifier. This would let centaur to get by with its clime and engineering already implemented by George. An debut of designated squads to turn to haste occupations like that of Atlass might be an invention needed in Centaur, Handy stated that task civilization is suited for advanced flexible administration like Centaur. Table 1 below ( copied from TMA D solutions ) shows that relationship, buttressing the demand for a alteration in civilization in favor of Centaur competitory environment.

Centaur direction manner is still a superior/boss centred and autocratic, this demand besides to alter to accommodate to a team-based and participative direction because there is no indicant that Simon is cognizant about the Atlas history until he was told.

There is no grounds besides that Simon ‘s has hebdomadal departmental public presentation meetings. If so these issues would hold been tackled in such meetings. While this may be appropriate to track the on-going public presentation, and what needs to be done when new history is acquired.

Simon is good cognizant of the teaming issues between Frank and George in the old brush and yet did n’t take any action to rectify their struggle. His move might give an feeling that he is favoring George in his determination devising as opposed to Frank.

The instance survey besides shows that Frank Wilkes ‘s has job with authorization and working with transverse Functional units managers, The instance survey besides confirms that he thinks excessively high of himself, his successes undermines the demand of the administration end or instead he is been motivated by gross revenues. Is it a consequence of passed untackled struggles or is his attitude because he brings 20 % gross revenues to Centaur I wonder? , Anyhow this was non validated in the instance.

The execution of the new mechanization engineering should hold triggered a alteration from bureaucratism. Alvin Toffler ( 1970 ) , ( Buchanan & A ; Huczynski, 2007 Pg 593 ) suggested adhocracy as a adaptative flexible administration manner suited for this environment as opposed to Centaur bureaucratism.

Group Level of Analysis

Different work squads are non working towards the administration ends, possible because they have different motivational benefits.

Different methods of communicating are effectual and appropriate for different state of affairss and audiences. When faced with struggle Simon method was one of more of authoritative to acquire the order in. Possibly acquiring both manager on tabular array might decide it amicably. Assertive communicating is the lone response expected from Simon which will give him the opportunity to work out the struggle in a positive mode. He will so hold a fruitful consequence instead than been disquieted, or bitter and holding a inactive hostile or violent behavior from Frank. This attack will even inquire George for possible options to acquire the order in on clip.

Besides Franks method of pass oning with George should be more persuasive ( Buchanan & A ; Huczynski, 2007 Pg 186, table 6.3 ) , concluding with George, or as Simon puts it ‘humour him ‘ to acquire things done instead than been hostile.

In a disruptive market as the one Centaur is in ( Buchanan & A ; Huczynski, 2007 Pg 387-389 ) cross-functional squads ( or CFTs ) might be utile in bettering market and client focal point. I stated earlier that Centaur faces a long term job of retaining its clients. This squad might be critical besides in work outing the issue of occupations like the Atlas contract and maintaining keep to their clients while seeking to get new 1s.

This instance survey showed no coherence as buttress by Henri Tajfel ‘s societal individuality ( Buchanan & A ; Huczynski, 2007 Pg 346 ) . This has affected their administration ends and has lead to internal struggle besides.

Work group coherence and perceived undertaking competency would be associated with single group member ‘s public presentation and organisational committedness.

Simon should gain that for a MD, he must recognize the paradox that surrounds difference. The squad requires to follow struggle as a manner of conveying Forth and measuring thoughts. While at the same time, it must retreat from it to forestall fury, letdown, or alienation. The greatest challenge as the MD is to work out how to equilibrate these two thrusts. [ 7 ]

Harmonizing to Fiedler ‘s there should hold be a lucifer between Simon leading manner and the undertaking civilization bing.

Contingency theoretical account by Arthur fiedlers emphasis the demand for Simon with a strong place power, a high undertaking structured environment but with a hapless relationship with his managers to follow a relationship-oriented manner particularly with Wilkes.

It seems that Simon Yates leading manner show favoritism for George. Change from ( Goleman ‘s leading manner Buchanan & A ; Huczynski, 2007 Pg 715 ) coercive leading to a more affiliative leading manner might be ideal. Handy ( pg171 & A ; 177 ) accent the demand for Simon to accommodate his leading manner to the demands of his subsidiaries. Simon should divert from his authoritative, directing function to a more supportive leading function favoring House ‘s path-goal theory, this would assist him to be more involved in e.g. Atlas, amalgamate rental and any other production concern to day of the month.

As a pull offing manager Simon must take some of the incrimination for leting this struggle since it happened earlier. He has failed to turn to the issues towards the administration ends therefore easing inter-departmental co-operation.Simon ‘s leading manner has been bossy ( Vroom and Yetton ‘s Aii class ) alternatively of been Gii class more suitable for centaur.

The manner that Simon encourage and support Frank and George in accomplishing organizational ends has to alter in conformity with Vroom ‘s Expectancy Theory. Simon phone call to George does non make satisfaction from his subsidiary causation less motives. There was no grounds demoing that he motivates them inclined with their demands and administration ends as opposed to the path-goal theory.

Individual degree of Analysis

There seem to be no specific motive techniques that provide feedback to heighten public presentation, this might hold avoided this struggle. It seems that fillip is the driving force for both managers, this is non in conformity with Edwin Locke ‘s end -setting Theory ( Buchanan & A ; Huczynski, 2007 Pg 254-6 ) , Hence the differences in the Frank and George ‘s motive.

Simon ‘s Centaur leading manner should accommodate centaur environment, theories stress utilizing different manners of leading appropriate to the demands created by different organisational state of affairss. It opposed Fiedler ‘s eventuality theory by non been effectual. Furthermore Vroom and Yetton ‘s determination engagement eventuality theory or the Normative determination theory ( Buchanan & A ; Huczynski, 2007 chp 21. ) , with respects to ‘the sum of dissension among subsidiaries with regard to their preferable options ‘ proved that he should hold addressed this struggle when it happened prior to this state of affairs.

Decision

Centaur faces jobs in both the short and long term. My analysis suggests three cardinal causes of Centaur jobs. First there is a mismatch between the administration civilizations and their activities ; Secondly subordinate conflicts a consequence of organizational environmental alteration has non been tackled and thirdly the pull offing manager has an inappropriate leading manner

OPTIONS OPEN TO CENTAUR

As a Manager Simon Yakes ‘s biggest challenge is which manner to travel frontward. He has merely really few options but he needs to take one that will minimise the impact on Centaur Operations. If he accepts Frank Wilkes ‘s surrender that will direct a incorrect message to staying squad puting a case in point for future subordination. Handy ( pg 322 ) accent the demand for multiple managerial functions suiting the state of affairs centaur faces.

If Simon decides non to entertain Frank ‘s petition, which is largely likely to go on, so this dysfunctional struggle may hold a bigger impact on Centaur group ‘s coherence. As with any dysfunctional struggle, this needs to be monitored and managed carefully until it is to the full resolved.

I expect the MD Simon Yakes to do a ( harmonizing to Aroba 1978 ) a logical determination. As an MD there is no grounds that shows he knew twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours running in the concern. possible demand for a regular meeting with the HOD ‘S

Option 1: DOING Nothing

It ‘s non an option as it will take to negativeness. this option was taken in the last struggle, Where Simon showed his irritation, and Wilkes quieting down. But this clip he has offered his surrender. Hence this action was and now a really hazardous.

Option 2a: Short term: Convincing Wilkes non to travel

This can be tempted as a speedy hole or work about which avoids the issue but allow work to go on, The job here is that it enforce limitations the behavior of the squads and single and ends up been a less efficient manner of turn toing the root cause of the job

Option 2b: Short term: Accepting Wilkes surrender

Accepting Wilkes surrender would be damaging temporarily to the growing of centaur as there would be a possibility of losing some of their contracts and gross revenues margin bead. Though it might better morale as no 1 is dispensable but that action might take to others members vacating. Beside it will be Centaur more to enroll another suited Gross saless Director who might confront the same job Wilkes faced.

Option 2c: Short term: Remove George for good or travel him to a new function

Though this might relieve the struggle temporarily, it would increase Wilkes power. But will do strife across the administration hierarchy. Besides the underlying job created by Simon ‘s bureaucratism still be, perchance for the new production manager.

Option 3a: Long term: Administration Restructuring

Integrate both gross revenues and production section with a Senior Manager as house becomes more competitory Referee: work of Hickson et Al, 1986. By analyzing the organizational construction as a manner of pull offing high degrees of inter group struggles.

This move might take farther struggle as the Senior director will be in tuned with whatever orders/ history received and how they are to be tackled avoiding struggle escalation in future but it will better cross departmental and interpersonal relation ( non existent between Frank and George ) . Furthermore this alteration has to be gradual, But would the president want it to be debureaucratise?

Option 3b: Change in Bureaucratic leading manner

The alteration in organizational environment to a turbulent one which is in line with a task civilization does non favor Simon Yates Bureaucracy. If it does non alter we will stop up with organizational behavior that end up as we seen that lucifers psychological disfunction that arises from persons runing in conflicting ends.

As the instance survey shows Simon leading manner is non suited for a undertaking orientated civilization. He might be sent on a preparation class in an attempt to assist him alter his manner. This drastic alteration might mot be accepted ensuing in Simon determination to discontinue or to be leery of the purpose.

Option 3c: Long term: Conflicts resolution /management scheme

Handy ( pg 309 ) advised turning struggles into a more meaningful competition and eventually commanding it. Here is a sum-up of the assorted bit-by-bit process, I found in my research:

Measure BY STEP PROCEDURE

Environment apparatus for end declaration.

Be certain that all parties are involvement to work out this struggle.

All parties should be cognizant it ‘s a common problem- non win/lose

Find the root cause of the struggle.

Create with engagement from the group solution options

Discuss the best possible agreeable solution with all parties involved.

Selected solution execution.

Is the solution a success/failure.

Rejoice or travel back to 6

Option 3d: Long term: Team Member Workshops

Workshop possible lineation:

Action 1 – struggle declaration awareness- sum-up, illustrations, Reason to larn and alter.

Action 2 – struggle declaration training- pull offing state of affairss of struggle by workshops accomplishments and techniques.

Action 3 – mediation training- for the managers to go certified go-betweens, and supply future support.

Action 4 – support workshops- informal Sessionss to reenforce cardinal constructs and go on to better participant consciousness and ability to manage struggle.

Action 5 – institutionalization of the program- assign ongoing support, care, and mediation services to specific group.

Option 4: Long term: Holding Weekly and Monthly meetings

Handy ( pg 300 ) stressed the importance of meetings to better communications. It can besides be used to reexamine the overall status of Centaur and reexamine recent successes

Recommendation:

Whatever else is done, this struggle has to be avoided in future. In the short term leting Wilkes ( option 2b ) to travel would hit the company ‘s net income though will convey an terminal to the struggle and increase George ‘s power. But Simon leading manner would once more do struggle with Wilkes ‘ replacing and other departmental managers.

Since Simon leading manner harmonizing to ( Heller and Yukl ) reflects the administration civilization, the struggle bing consequence from working in an impersonal, rule-bound bureaucratic environment.

For a long term position I would urge a combination of Options 3. We should convert Wilkes to remain and the company should originate a procedure of altering the bureaucratic civilization to a more supportive manner and to mend the lesion between Wilkes and George by classs bettering the relationships such as squad workshops ( option 3d ) and scheme to decide the struggle ( option 3c ) .

Plan OF ACTION

I would choose for an reorganisation of Centaur. Changing to an organisational undertaking construction would necessitate sensitive handling. Geting Simon to alter his leading manner might turn out debatable. As a impersonal adviser I would name for a meeting or squad edifice workshop with the managers explicating my findings and do necessary solutions as lineation above.

All short term options should be carried instantly whereas the long term solution will be give 3-6 months to be carried out. It will besides be necessary I come back for re-evaluation when completed.

×

Hi there, would you like to get such a paper? How about receiving a customized one? Check it out