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1. Assignment Solutions, Case study Answer sheets
Project Report and Thesis contact
aravind.banakar@gmail.com
www.mbacasestudyanswers.com
ARAVIND – 09901366442 – 09902787224
Principles and Practice of Management
Case Studies
CASE STUDY (20 Marks)
Bob Ford was a management trainee in a large casualty insurance company. He had
been hired 18 months previously and was only now in the latter stages of the program.
His present assignment was in one of the large branches the company had in an urban
Centre. Most of his work involved experience analysis of the many large policy holders
serviced by this branch. John Crane, the branch manager, had mentioned the possibility
of a permanent assignment to the branch when the training period was completed. Bob
reacted favorably, since he admired Crane and they got along well. During a recent
review Crane told him that he was the best trainee assigned to the branch since Crane
had been manager. Naturally Bob was pleased with his compliment and looked forward
to the promised permanent assignment. An opening developed at the branch when one
of the senior analysts was transferred to company headquarters. Though Bob had not
fully completed the training program, Crane offered him the position, thinking him fully
qualified for the opening. Bob accepted and was told by his boss that the formal request
was going in to the headquarters personnel department that day and he should be ready
to move into the job in two weeks, when the incumbent’s transfer was to take place.
Crane went to the company’s headquarters the next day for a meeting with his superior.
In the course of the discussion Crane was told about the company’s affirmative action
plan, which they were required to file under fair employment practice legislation.
Crane’s boss went on to say that the company had to promote more women to
responsible positions, and since there was an opening in Crane’s branch they were going
to promote a young woman in the management training program to fill the opening.

2. This woman had only been with the company 11 months and still had a considerable
learning period to face. Crane was flabbergasted and told his boss of the offer to Bob
Ford and its acceptance. The boss refused to listen and said that adherence to the
affirmative action plan was paramount, since the company’s record was less than
desirable in the area of equal employment opportunity. Crane asked what he was going
to tell young Ford, and the boss replied, “Tell him not to worry; he’ll get the next
opening”. “Why, all we are doing ispracticing reverse discrimination and not paying
much attention to qualifications either”, said Crane. “That’s about it”, the boss replied.
Answer the following question.
Q1. Should a company practice reverse discrimination to comply with civil
rights legislation? Explain.
Q2. What can Mr. Crane tell Bob Ford?
Q3. What should Ford do?
Q4. What are the moral arguments pros and cons for affirmative action
program to reverse discrimination?
CASE STUDY (20 Marks)
The case summarizes the career of Indian Cricketer Mohammad Shami. Shami was born
in a remote village called Sahaspur, Uttar Pradesh. He developed a deep passion for fast
blowing from his teenage days and dreamt of playing for the national team. Shami
struggled for a year in clubs of Kolkata before getting selected in the Bengal Under22
team. Sourav Ganguly, former captain of the Indian Cricket Team recognized his talent
during net practice sessions and recommended him for the Bengal Ranji team in 2010.
Shami was signed on by the Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2011 session of the Indian
Premier League. In 2005, Tousif Ali (Ali) sent his 15yearold son, Mohammad Shami
(Shami), from Sahaspur, a small town in Uttar Pradesh, North India, to Kolkata in the
hope of securing a better future for him in cricket. Ali, himself had been a fast bowler in

3. his younger days in a village team. He saw the deep passion Shami had for cricket as a
teenager. He had earlier taken him to Badruddin Siddique, a cricket coach in
Moradabad, 22 km from the village. Shami bowled exceptionally well in the under19
trials but couldn’t make it to the team. With Uttar Pradesh not having an organized club
system for cricket, Shami had no choice but to leave his hometown to Kolkata.
Answer the following question.
Q1. Discuss the importance of patience, perseverance and passion in
success.
Q2. Explain how clubs, state level and domestic matches help grooming of
cricketers for the national cricket team.
CASE STUDY (20 Marks)
The purpose of this case study is to explain a specific type of intervention that is both an
interpersonal intervention, and also a techno structural intervention. A fictitious
situation of a conflict between three senior executives (called Role Incumbents) in a
work group is presented. Through an iterative process, each of these three incumbents
lists the tasks to be performed as a part of one’s role. This is followed by an
understanding of one’s tasks in relation to the others in terms of extent of interaction.
Finally, each of these role incumbents proposes a set of behaviors expected of the other
two role incumbents, leading to successful working relation. Dave Franklin (Dave),
VicePresident Operations, Agile Motors, knew there was trouble brewing as soon as he
stepped into the banquet hall. Instead of a glittering array of crockery, vintage wine, and
smartly dressed waiters, all he could see was chaos, and two of his senior most
executives Jane Anniston (Jane, Manager Corporate Events)¸and Tim Malkovich (Tim,
ManagerSales) engaged in an animated argument. The hors d’oeuvres (appetizers) were
there on the tables but had not been arranged...
Answer the following question.

4. Q1. Discuss the reasons of conflict between the three role incumbents.
Q2. Explain the role negotiation techniques to resolve interpersonal
conflicts.
Q3. Can role negotiation technique be applied to large work group? Give
brief.
Q4. Debate the threats or positive incentives which you think will yield the
best results in a role negotiation technique.
CASE STUDY (20 Marks)
Mary Roberts had been with the company three years when she was promoted to
manager of the tax department which was part of the controller’s division. Roberts
started with the company when she graduated from college as an accounting major. She
entered the organization as a management trainee, and during the one year program she
demonstrated considerable leadership ability as an informal leader her peers. Mary also
impressed many senior managers in the company with her sense of responsibility and
her willingness to work hard. All of her training assignments were completed on time
with considerable skill for an inexperienced person. Since she was very interested in tax
accounting, Roberts was assigned to the tax department to be developed further as staff
accountant. Within four months she became a supervisor of ten staff as staff
accountants to fill a vacancy created by an unexpected early retirement. Her superior
believed her to be the most qualified individual to fill the position even though others in
the department had more experience in tax accounting. None, however, demonstrated
leadership ability or the commitment to work that Mary possessed. The tax department
manager was promoted to fill a vacancy in the financial planning department eight
months later, and he recommended to the controller that Mary Roberts be promoted to
fill the position he was leaving. He mentioned that her work was excellent and that she
was a very effective supervisor. The tax department had 45 employees including 3
supervisors, 10 clerical employees, and 3 typists. Several people in the department were
senior personnel with 10 to 30 years of experience in tax work. Some of these were more

5. technically knowledgeable in taxation than Mary. There was some resentment in this
group that so young a person was made a department head, and three of these people
were particularly upset because they desired the promotion and felt they deserved it.
What made them even more upset was the fact that the tax manager did not discuss the
promotion with them.
Answer the following question.
Q1. What can Mary Roberts do about the resentful senior employees?
Q2. Can higher management do anything to help Roberts make the
transitions to greater responsibility? Explain.
Q3. Will her lack of technical knowledge hinder Mary’s managerial
effectiveness? Justify.
Q4. Should Mary’s superior have discussed the promotion with the senior
employees before announcing it? Explain
Assignment Solutions, Case study Answer sheets
Project Report and Thesis contact
aravind.banakar@gmail.com
www.mbacasestudyanswers.com
ARAVIND – 09901366442 – 09902787224