This case study describes conflict that arose during a simulated space station isolation experiment conducted by the Institute for Biomedical Problems in Moscow. The experiment involved 3 international researchers from Japan, Canada, and Austria joining 4 Russian cosmonauts already in isolation. On New Year's Eve, after drinking vodka, two of the Russian cosmonauts got into a fistfight. Later, the Russian commander aggressively kissed the sole female participant, Judith Lapierre of Canada, twice and tried to kiss her again the next morning. The next day, the international crew complained to IBMP about the behavior of the Russian cosmonauts.
Is This for Me Career Decision Making in a Family Business.docxaryan532920
Â
Is This for Me? Career Decision Making in a Family Business 1
Is This for Me? Career Decision
Making in a Family Business
Holly Slay Ferraro, Seattle University
Jennifer A. Marrone, Seattle University
It was a lovely spring day in 2014 and John Nguyen sat at his desk at Esquire Beauty
College, the business started by his parents, reflecting on his career. He felt both excited
and nervous as he hung up from a phone call with a recruiter from TechX, one of the
most innovative and influential technology firms in world. John was surprised to
receive the phone call because he wasnât currently looking for job. Last year, he had
explored opportunities with TechX and had been offered a job, but ultimately he
decided to turn it down. Now, the recruiter was calling him again! Anum, the recruiter,
said they had found him a compelling candidate a year ago and thought he would be
an excellent product manager. The job was his â if he wanted it. Did he?
REVIEWING THE PAST
For 12 years, John had worked at a Fortune 500 IT company. He had become antsy
about leaving the IT firm somewhere around his ten year anniversary with the
company. At the beginning of his career, he promised himself that he would reassess
his career at the ten-year mark as he watched friends and co-workers leave IT firms to
take jobs at promising start-ups.
In 2013, John entered a new phase of his life and felt called to the priesthood. He
left his long-term employment with the IT firm, and started helping his family by
working at Esquire without pay while he engaged in the priesthood discernment
process. The priesthood discernment process in the Catholic Church involved
uncovering oneâs vocation. The process consisted of prayer, engagement in retreats,
meeting with a spiritual director, and other similar activities designed to help the
individual better understand his or her calling. Why this seemingly abrupt change?
John had become very involved in the church during the annulment of his marriage
and subsequently taught confirmation classes. Involvement in the church offered
healing and he believed that his life experiences would provide him with the ability to
authentically and knowledgeably counsel others. While the priesthood had much to
offer, in the end John decided that vocational ministry was not for him. However,
deciding to forgo the priesthood did not end the career discernment process (see
Exhibit 1 for a summary of Johnâs career journey).
-----------------------------
Copyright Š 2017 by the Case Research Journal and by Holly Slay Ferraro, and Jennifer Marrone. This
case study was prepared as the basis for classroom discussion rather than to illustrate either effective
or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. The authors wish to thank John Lawrence
and the anonymous CRJ reviewers for their helpful suggestions on how to make this a more
effect ...
Leadership Essay 9 Samples, Examples, Format Download. Write an Impressive Leadership Essay in 4 Easy Steps - How to write a .... Leadership Essay Example Template Business. Essay on Leadership for all Class in 100 to 500 Words in English. Qualities of a leader essay. how to write a good leadership speech Writing images, Research paper .... How to be an effective Leader: Essay Example, 1132 words EssayPay. Sample essay on leadership studies. How to Write a Good Leadership Essay. A Guide and Useful Tips. Writing an Effective Leadership Essay: Tips and Examples YourDictionary. Leadership Essay Examples sample, Bookwormlab. Write an essay on Good Leader Essay writing English - YouTube. Sample essay on comparison of leadership styles. Leadership Essay Example Essay example, Leadership examples, Good .... Essay on Leadership Qualities Leadership Qualities Essay for Students .... Good Leadership Essays. Learn How to Write. 001 Essay Example What Are The Qualities Of Good Leader Leadershipessay .... good leadership essays. What Makes A Good Leadership Essay. Narrative Essay: How to write a good leadership essay. What Is The Good Leadership / Essay On Leadership Qualities Leadership .... Leadership traits essay. Essay On Leadership Qualities. 2022-11-18. Leadership Essay Writing: Useful Guide Pro Essay Help. Excellent What Is Leadership Essay Thatsnotus. Leadership ability essay. 50 Leadership Essay Topics, Titles .... 004 Essay On Leadership Qualities About Essays Characteristics Of Good .... Essay on leadership qualities with examples. Leadership Reflection .... Sample essay on understanding leadership styles. Leadership Essay Sample PDF Template. Characteristics Of A Good Leader Essay Telegraph. Leadership Essay Examples Telegraph. Leadership Essay Example Leadership Reason How To Write A Good Leadership Essay How To Write A Good Leadership Essay
Is This for Me Career Decision Making in a Family Business.docxaryan532920
Â
Is This for Me? Career Decision Making in a Family Business 1
Is This for Me? Career Decision
Making in a Family Business
Holly Slay Ferraro, Seattle University
Jennifer A. Marrone, Seattle University
It was a lovely spring day in 2014 and John Nguyen sat at his desk at Esquire Beauty
College, the business started by his parents, reflecting on his career. He felt both excited
and nervous as he hung up from a phone call with a recruiter from TechX, one of the
most innovative and influential technology firms in world. John was surprised to
receive the phone call because he wasnât currently looking for job. Last year, he had
explored opportunities with TechX and had been offered a job, but ultimately he
decided to turn it down. Now, the recruiter was calling him again! Anum, the recruiter,
said they had found him a compelling candidate a year ago and thought he would be
an excellent product manager. The job was his â if he wanted it. Did he?
REVIEWING THE PAST
For 12 years, John had worked at a Fortune 500 IT company. He had become antsy
about leaving the IT firm somewhere around his ten year anniversary with the
company. At the beginning of his career, he promised himself that he would reassess
his career at the ten-year mark as he watched friends and co-workers leave IT firms to
take jobs at promising start-ups.
In 2013, John entered a new phase of his life and felt called to the priesthood. He
left his long-term employment with the IT firm, and started helping his family by
working at Esquire without pay while he engaged in the priesthood discernment
process. The priesthood discernment process in the Catholic Church involved
uncovering oneâs vocation. The process consisted of prayer, engagement in retreats,
meeting with a spiritual director, and other similar activities designed to help the
individual better understand his or her calling. Why this seemingly abrupt change?
John had become very involved in the church during the annulment of his marriage
and subsequently taught confirmation classes. Involvement in the church offered
healing and he believed that his life experiences would provide him with the ability to
authentically and knowledgeably counsel others. While the priesthood had much to
offer, in the end John decided that vocational ministry was not for him. However,
deciding to forgo the priesthood did not end the career discernment process (see
Exhibit 1 for a summary of Johnâs career journey).
-----------------------------
Copyright Š 2017 by the Case Research Journal and by Holly Slay Ferraro, and Jennifer Marrone. This
case study was prepared as the basis for classroom discussion rather than to illustrate either effective
or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. The authors wish to thank John Lawrence
and the anonymous CRJ reviewers for their helpful suggestions on how to make this a more
effect ...
Leadership Essay 9 Samples, Examples, Format Download. Write an Impressive Leadership Essay in 4 Easy Steps - How to write a .... Leadership Essay Example Template Business. Essay on Leadership for all Class in 100 to 500 Words in English. Qualities of a leader essay. how to write a good leadership speech Writing images, Research paper .... How to be an effective Leader: Essay Example, 1132 words EssayPay. Sample essay on leadership studies. How to Write a Good Leadership Essay. A Guide and Useful Tips. Writing an Effective Leadership Essay: Tips and Examples YourDictionary. Leadership Essay Examples sample, Bookwormlab. Write an essay on Good Leader Essay writing English - YouTube. Sample essay on comparison of leadership styles. Leadership Essay Example Essay example, Leadership examples, Good .... Essay on Leadership Qualities Leadership Qualities Essay for Students .... Good Leadership Essays. Learn How to Write. 001 Essay Example What Are The Qualities Of Good Leader Leadershipessay .... good leadership essays. What Makes A Good Leadership Essay. Narrative Essay: How to write a good leadership essay. What Is The Good Leadership / Essay On Leadership Qualities Leadership .... Leadership traits essay. Essay On Leadership Qualities. 2022-11-18. Leadership Essay Writing: Useful Guide Pro Essay Help. Excellent What Is Leadership Essay Thatsnotus. Leadership ability essay. 50 Leadership Essay Topics, Titles .... 004 Essay On Leadership Qualities About Essays Characteristics Of Good .... Essay on leadership qualities with examples. Leadership Reflection .... Sample essay on understanding leadership styles. Leadership Essay Sample PDF Template. Characteristics Of A Good Leader Essay Telegraph. Leadership Essay Examples Telegraph. Leadership Essay Example Leadership Reason How To Write A Good Leadership Essay How To Write A Good Leadership Essay
Biological screening of herbal drugs: Introduction and Need for
Phyto-Pharmacological Screening, New Strategies for evaluating
Natural Products, In vitro evaluation techniques for Antioxidants, Antimicrobial and Anticancer drugs. In vivo evaluation techniques
for Anti-inflammatory, Antiulcer, Anticancer, Wound healing, Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective, Cardio protective, Diuretics and
Antifertility, Toxicity studies as per OECD guidelines
Thinking of getting a dog? Be aware that breeds like Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and German Shepherds can be loyal and dangerous. Proper training and socialization are crucial to preventing aggressive behaviors. Ensure safety by understanding their needs and always supervising interactions. Stay safe, and enjoy your furry friends!
Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of LabourWasim Ak
Â
Normal labor is also termed spontaneous labor, defined as the natural physiological process through which the fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled from the uterus through the birth canal at term (37 to 42 weeks
it describes the bony anatomy including the femoral head , acetabulum, labrum . also discusses the capsule , ligaments . muscle that act on the hip joint and the range of motion are outlined. factors affecting hip joint stability and weight transmission through the joint are summarized.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Â
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
This slide is special for master students (MIBS & MIFB) in UUM. Also useful for readers who are interested in the topic of contemporary Islamic banking.
A review of the growth of the Israel Genealogy Research Association Database Collection for the last 12 months. Our collection is now passed the 3 million mark and still growing. See which archives have contributed the most. See the different types of records we have, and which years have had records added. You can also see what we have for the future.
MATATAG CURRICULUM: ASSESSING THE READINESS OF ELEM. PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS I...NelTorrente
Â
In this research, it concludes that while the readiness of teachers in Caloocan City to implement the MATATAG Curriculum is generally positive, targeted efforts in professional development, resource distribution, support networks, and comprehensive preparation can address the existing gaps and ensure successful curriculum implementation.
RPMS TEMPLATE FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2023-2024 FOR TEACHER 1 TO TEACHER 3
Â
Organizational behavior2
1. The Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies
SUBJECT: Organizational Behavior Marks:100
Note: Solve any 4 Cases Studyâs
CASE: I Pushing Paper Can Be Fun
A large city government was putting on a number of seminars for managers of various departments
throughout the city. At one of these sessions the topic discussed was motivationâhow to motivate
public servants to do a good job. The plight of a police captain became the central focus of the
discussion:
Iâve got a real problem with my officers. They come on the force as young, inexperienced
rookies, and we send them out on the street, either in cars or on a beat. They seem to like the contact
they have with the public, the action involved in crime prevention, and the apprehension of criminals.
They also like helping people out at fires, accidents, and other emergencies.
The problem occurs when they get back to the station. They hate to do the paperwork, and
because they dislike it, the job is frequently put off or done inadequately. This lack of attention hurts us
later on when we get to court. We need clear, factual reports. They must be highly detailed and
unambiguous. As soon as one part of a report is shown to be inadequate or incorrect, the rest of the
report is suspect. Poor reporting probably causes us to lose more cases than any other factor.
I just donât know how to motivate them to do a better job. Weâre in a budget crunch, and I have
absolutely no financial rewards at my disposal. In fact, weâll probably have to lay some people off in
the near future. Itâs hard for me to make the job interesting and challenging because it isnât-itâs boring,
routine paperwork, and there isnât much you can do about it.
Finally, I canât say to them that their promotions will hinge on the excellence of their
paperwork. First at all, they know itâs not true. If their performance is adequate, most are more likely
to get promoted just by staying on the force a certain number of years than for some specific
outstanding act. Second, they were trained to do the job they do out in the streets, not to fill out forms.
All through their careers the arrests and interventions are what get noticed.
Some people have suggested a number of things, like using conviction records as a
performance criterion. However, we know thatâs not fairâtoo many other things are involved. Bad
paperwork increases the chance that you lose in court, but good paperwork doesnât necessarily mean
youâll win. We tried setting up the team competitions based on the excellence of the reports, but the
officers caught on to that pretty quickly. No one was getting any type of reward for winning the
competition, and they figured why should they bust a gut when there was on payoff.
I just donât know what to do.
Question:
1. What performance problems is the captain trying to correct?
2. Use the MARS model of individual behavior and performance to diagnose the possible causes
of the unacceptable behavior.
3. Has the captain considered all possible solutions to the problem? If not, what else might be
done?
1
2. The Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies
SUBJECT: Organizational Behavior Marks:100
CASE: II How Did I Get Here?
Something was not right. John Breckenridge opened his eyes, saw the nurseâs face, and closed them
once more. Cobwebs slowly cleared from his brain as he woke up from his brain as he woke up from
the operation. He felt a hard tube in his nostril, and tried to lift his hand to pull it out, but it was
strapped down to the bed. John tried to speak but could make only a croaking sound. Nurse Thompson
spoke soothingly, âJust try to relax, Mr. Breckenridge. You had a heart attack and emergency surgery,
but youâre going to be OK.â
Heart attack? How did I get here? As the anesthesia wore off and the pain set in, John began to
recall the events of the past year; and with the memories came another sort of pain â that of
remembering a life where success was measured in hours worked and things accomplished, but which
of late had not measured up.
John recalled his years in college, where getting good grades had been important, but not so
much as his newly developing love for Karen, the girl with auburn hair who got her nursing degree the
same year as he graduated with a degree in software engineering. They married the summer after
graduation and moved from their sleepy university town in Indiana to Aspen, Colorado. There John got
a job with a new software company while Karen worked evenings as a nurse. Although they didnât see
much of each other during the week, weekends were a special time, and the surrounding mountains and
nature provided a superb quality of life.
Life was good to the Breckenridges. Two years after they were married, Karen gave birth to
Josh and two years later to Linda. Karen reduced her nursing to the minimum hours required to
maintain her license, and concentrated on rearing the kids. John, on the other hand, was busy providing
for the lifestyle they increasingly became used to, which included a house, car, SUV, ski trips, and all
of the things a successful engineering career could bring. The company grew in leaps and bounds, and
John was one of the main reasons it grew fast. Work was fun. The company was growing, his
responsibilities increased, and he and his team were real buddies. With Karenâs help at home, he
juggled work, travel, and evening classes that led to a masterâs degree. The masterâs degree brought
another promotionâthis time to vice president of technology at the young (for this company) age of
39.
The promotion had one drawback: It would require working out of the New York office. Karen
sadly said goodbye to her friends, convinced the kids that the move would be good to them, and left
the ranch house for another one, much more expensive and newer, but smaller and just across the river
in New Jersey from the skyscraper where her husband worked. Newark was not much like Aspen, and
the kids had a hard time making friends, especially Josh, who was now 16. He grew sullen and
withdrawn and began hanging around with a crowd that Karen thought looked very tough. Linda,
always the quiet one, stuck mostly to her room.
Johnâs new job brought with it money and recognition, as well as added responsibilities. He
now had to not only lead software development but also actively participate in steering the company in
the right direction for the future, tailoring its offerings to market trends. Mergers and acquisitions were
the big things in the software business, and John found a special thrill in picking small companies with
promising software, buying them out, and adding them to the corporate portfolio. Karen had
everything a woman could want and went regularly to a health club. The family lacked for no material
need.
2
3. The Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies
SUBJECT: Organizational Behavior Marks:100
At age 41 John felt he had the world by its tail. Sure, he was a bit overweight, but who
wouldnât be with the amount of work and entertaining that he did? He drank some, a habit he had
developed early in his career. Karen worried about that, but he reassured her by reminding her that he
had been really drunk only twice and would never drink and drive. Joshâs friends were a worry, but
nothing had yet come of it.
Not all was well, however. John had been successful in Colorado because he thought fast on his
feet, expressed his opinions, and got people to buy into his decisions. In the New York corporate office
things were different. All of the top brass except the president and John had Ivy League, moneyed
backgrounds. They spoke of strategy but would take only risks that would further their personal
careers. He valued passion, integrity, and action, with little regard for personal advancement. They
resented him, rightly surmising that the only reason he had been promoted was because he was more
like he president than they were, and he was being groomed as heir apparent.
On November 2, 2004, John Breckenridgeâs world began to unravel. The company he worked
for, the one he had given so much of his life to build was acquired in a hostile takeover. The president
who had been his friend and mentor was let go, and the backstabbing began in earnest. John found
himself the odd man out in the office as the others jostled to build status in the new firm. Although his
stellar record allowed him to survive the first round of job cuts, that survival only made him more of a
pariah to those around him. Going to work was a chore now, and John had no friends like those he had
left in Aspen.
Karen was little help. John had spent nearly two decades married more to his job than his wife,
and he found she was more of a stranger than a comforter as he struggled in his new role. When he
spoke about changing jobs, she blew up. âWhy did I have to give up nursing for your career?â she said.
âWhy do we have to move again, just because you canât get along at work? Canât you see what the
move did to our kids?â
Seeing the hurt and anger in Karenâs eyes, John stopped sharing and turned to his bottle for
comfort. In time that caused even more tension in the home, and it slowed him down at work when he
really needed to excel. John would often drink himself into oblivion when on business trips rather than
thinking about where his life and career were going. On his last trip he hadnât slept much and had
worked far too hard. Midmorning he had been felled by a massive heart attack.
All of this history passed through John Breckenridgeâs mind as he woke after the operation. It
was time for a change.
Question:
1. Identify the stressors in John Breckenridgeâs life. Which ones could he have prevented?
2. What were the results of the stress? Would you consider these to be typical to stress situations
and lifestyle choices John made, or was John Breckenridge unlucky?
3. Assume you are a career coach retained by John Breckenridge to guide him through his next
decisions. How would you recommend that John modify his lifestyle and behavior to reduce
stress? Should he change jobs? Do you believe he is capable of reducing his stress alone? If
not, where should he seek help?
3
4. The Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies
SUBJECT: Organizational Behavior Marks:100
CASE: III The Shipping Industry Accounting Team
For the past five years I have been working at McKay, Sanderson, and Smith Associates, a mid-sized
accounting firm in Boston that specializes in commercial accounting and audits. My particular
specialty in accounting practices for shipping companies, ranging from small fishing fleets to a couple
of the big firms with ships along the East Coast.
About 18 months ago McKay, Sanderson, and Smith Associates became part of a large merger
involving two other accounting firms. These firms have offices in Miami, Seattle, Baton Rouge, and
Los Angeles. Although the other two accounting firms were much larger than McKay, all three firms
agreed to avoid centralizing the business around one office in Los Angeles. Instead the new firmâ
called Goldberg, Choo, and McKay Associatesâwould rely on teams across the country to âleverage
the synergies of our collective knowledgeâ (an often-cited statement from the managing partner soon
after the merger).
The merger affected me a year ago when my boss (a senior partner and vice president of the
merger) announced that I would be working more closely with three people from the other two firms to
become the firmâs new shipping industry accounting team. The other team members were Elias in
Miami, Susan in Seattle, and Brad in Los Angeles. I had met Elias briefly at a meeting in New York
City during the merger but had never met Susan or Brad, although I knew that they were shipping
accounting professionals at the other firms.
Initially the shipping team activities involved e-mailing each other about new contracts and
prospective clients. Later we were asked to submit joint monthly reports on accounting statements and
issues. Normally I submitted my own monthly reports to summarize activities involving my own
clients. Coordinating the monthly report with three other people took much more time, particularly
because different accounting documentation procedures across the three firms were still being
resolved. It took numerous e-mail messages an a few telephone calls to work out a reasonable monthly
report style.
During this aggravating process it became apparentâto me at leastâthat this team business was
costing me more time than it was worth. Moreover, Brad in Los Angeles didnât have a clue about how
to communicate with the rest of us. He rarely replied to e-mail. Instead he often used the telephone tag.
Brad arrived at work at 9:30 a.m. in Los Angeles (and was often late), which is early afternoon in
Boston. I typically have a flexible work schedule from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. so I can chauffeur my
kids after school to sports and music lessons. So Brad and I have a window of less than three hours to
share information.
The biggest nuisance with the shipping specialist accounting team started two weeks ago when the
firm asked the four of us to develop a new strategy for attracting more shipping firm business. This
new strategic plan is a messy business. Somehow we have to share our thoughts on various
approaches, agree on a new plan, and write a unified submission to the managing partner. Already the
project is taking most of my time just writing and responding to e-mail and talking in conference calls
(which none of us did much before the team formed).
Susan and Brad have already had two or three misunderstandings via e-mail about their different
perspectives on delicate matters in the strategic plan. The worst of these disagreements required a
conference call with all of us to resolve. Except for the most basic matters, it seems that we canât
4
5. The Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies
SUBJECT: Organizational Behavior Marks:100
understand each other, let alone agree on key issues. I have come to the conclusion that I would never
want Brad to work in my Boston office (thanks goodness heâs on the other side of the country).
Although Elias and I seem to agree on most points, the overall team canât form a common vision or
strategy. I donât know how Elias, Susan, or Brad feel, but I would be quite happy to work somewhere
that did not require any of these long-distance team headaches.
Question:
1. What type of team was formed here? Was it necessary, in your opinion?
2. Use the team effectiveness model in Chapter 9 and related information in this chapter to
identify the strengths and weaknesses of this teamâs environment, design, and processes.
3. Assuming that these four people must continue to work as a team, recommend ways to improve
the teamâs effectiveness.
5
6. The Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies
SUBJECT: Organizational Behavior Marks:100
CASE: IV Conflict In Close Quarters
A team of psychologists at Moscowâs Institute for Biomedical Problems (IBMP) wanted to learn more
about the dynamics of long-term isolation in space. This knowledge would be applied to the
International Space Station, a joint project of several countries that would send people into space for
more than six months. It would eventually include a trip to Mars taking up to three years.
IBMP set up a replica of the Mir space station in Moscow. They then arranged for three
international researchers from Japan, Canada, and Austria 110 days isolated in a chamber the size of a
train car. This chamber joined a smaller chamber where four Russian cosmonauts had already
completed half of their 240 days of isolation. This was the first time an international crew was
involved in the studies. None of the participants spoke English as their first language, yet they
communicated throughout their stay in English at varying levels of proficiency.
Judith Lapierre, a French-Canadian, was the only female in the experiment. Along with obtaining a
PhD in public health and social medicine, Lapierre had studied space sociology at the International
Space University in France and conducted isolation research in the Antarctic. This was her fourth trip
to Russia, where she had learned the language. The mission was supposed to have a second female
participant from the Japanese space program, but she was not selected by IBMP.
The Japanese and Austrian participants viewed the participation of a woman as a favorable factor,
says Lapierre. For example, to make the surroundings more comfortable, they rearranged the furniture,
hung posters on the walls, and put a tablecloth on the kitchen table. âWe adapted our environment,
whereas Russians just viewed it as something to be endured,â she explains. âWe decorated for
Christmas because Iâm the kind of person who likes to host people.â
New Yearâs Eve Turmoil
Ironically, it was at one of those social events, the New Yearâs Eve party, that events took a turn
for the worse. After drinking vodka (allowed by the Russian space agency), two of the Russian
cosmonauts got into a fistfight that left blood splattered on the chamber walls. At one point a colleague
hid the knives in the stationâs kitchen because of fears that the two Russians were about to stab each
other. The two cosmonauts, who generally did not get along, had to be restrained by other men. Soon
after that brawl, the Russian commander grabbed Lapierre, dragged her out of view of the television
monitoring cameras, and kissed her aggressivelyâtwice. Lapierre fought him off, but the message
didnât register. He tried to kiss her again the next morning.
The next day the international crew complained to IBMP about the behavior of the Russian
cosmonauts. The Russian institute apparently took no against the aggressors. Instead the instituteâs
psychologists replied that the incidents were part of the experiment. They wanted crew members to
solve their personal problems with mature discussion without asking for outside help. âYou have to
understand that Mir is an autonomous object, far away from anything,â Vadim Gushin, the IBMP
psychologist in charge of project, explained after the experiment had ended in March. âIf the crew
canât solve problems among themselves, they canât work together.â
Following IBMPâs response, the international crew wrote a scathing letter to the Russian institute
and the space agencies involved in the experiment. âWe had never expected such events to take place
in a highly controlled scientific experiment where individuals go through a multistep selection
6
7. The Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies
SUBJECT: Organizational Behavior Marks:100
process,â they wrote. âIf we had known⌠we would not have joined it as subjects.â The letter also
complained about IBMPâs response to their concerns.
Informed about the New Yearâs Eve incident, the Japanese space program convened an emergency
meeting on January 2 to address the incidents. Soon after the Japanese team member quit, apparently
shocked by IBMPâs inaction. He was replaced with a Russian researcher on the international team. Ten
days after the fightâa little over the month the international team began the missionâthe doors
between the Russian and international crewsâ chambers were barred at the request of the international
research team. Lapierre later emphasized that this action was taken because of concerns about
violence, not the incident involving her.
A Stolen Kiss or Sexual Harassment
By the end of experiment in March, news of the fistfight between the cosmonauts and the
commanderâs attempts to kiss Lapierre had reached the public. Russian scientists attempted to play
down the kissing incident by saying that it was one fleeting kiss, a clash of cultures, and a female
participant who was too emotional.
âIn the West, some kinds of kissing are regarded as sexual harassment. In our culture itâs nothing,â
said Russian scientist Vadim Gushin in one interview. In another interview he explained, âThe
problem of sexual harassment is given a lot of attention in North America but less in Europe. In Russia
it is even less of an issue, not because we are more or less moral than the rest of the world; we just
have different priorities.â
Judith Lapierre says the kissing incident was tolerable compared to this reaction from the Russian
scientists who conducted the experiment. âThey donât get it at all,â she complains. âThey donât think
anything is wrong. Iâm more frustrated than ever. The worst thing is that they donât realize it was
wrong.â
Norbert Kraft, the Austrian scientist on the international team, also disagreed with the Russian
interpretation of events. âTheyâre trying to protect themselves,â he says. âTheyâre trying to put the
fault on others. But this is not a cultural issue. If a woman doesnât want to be kissed, it is not
acceptable.â
Question:
1. Identify the different conflict episodes that exist in this case. Who was in conflict with whom?
2. What are the sources of conflict for these conflict incidents?
3. What conflict management style(s) did Lapierre, the international team, and Gushin use to
resolve these conflicts? What style(s) would have worked best in the situation?
7
8. The Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies
SUBJECT: Organizational Behavior Marks:100
CASE: V Hilltonâs Transformation
Twenty years ago Hillton was a small city (about 70,000 residents) that served as an outer to a large
Midwest metropolitan area. The city treated employees like family and gave them a great deal of
autonomy in their work. Everyone in the organization (including the two labor unions representing
employees) implicitly agreed that the leaders and supervisors of the organization should rise through
the ranks based on their experience. Few people were ever hired from the outside into middle or senior
positions. The rule of employment at Hillton was to learn the job skills, maintain a reasonably good
work record, and wait your turn for promotion.
Hillton had grown rapidly since the mid-1970s. As the population grew, so did the municipalityâs
workforce to keep pace with the increasing demand for municipal services. This meant that employees
were promoted fairly quickly and were almost guaranteed employment. In fact, until recently Hillton
had never laid off any employee. The organizationâs culture could be described as one of entitlement
and comfort. Neither the elected city council members nor the city manager bothered the department
managers about their work. There were few costs controls because rapid growth forced emphasis on
keeping up with the population expansion. The public became somewhat more critical of the cityâs
poor services, including road construction at inconvenient times and the apparent lack of respect some
employees showed towards taxpayers.
During these expansion years Hillton put most of its money into âoutsideâ (also called âhardâ)
municipal services such as road building, utility construction and maintenance, fire and police
protection, recreational facilities, and land use control. This emphasis occurred because an expanding
population demanded more of these services, and most of Hilltonâs senior people came from the
outside services group. For example, Hilltonâs city manager for many years was a road development
engineer. The âinsideâ workers (taxation, community services, and the like) tended to have less
seniority, and their departments were given less priority.
As commuter and road systems developed, Hillton attracted more upwardly mobile professionals to
the community. Some infrastructure demands continued, but now these suburban dwellers wanted
more âsoftâ services, such as libraries, social activities, and community services. They also began
complaining about how the municipality was being run. The population had more than doubled
between the 1970s and 1990s, and it was increasingly apparent that the city organization needed more
corporate planning, information systems, organization development, and cost control systems. Resident
voiced their concerns in various ways that the municipality was not providing the quality of
management that they would expect from a city of its size.
In 1996 a new mayor and council replaced most of the previous incumbents, mainly on the
platform of improving the municipalityâs management structure. The new council gave the city
manager, along with two other senior managers, an early retirement buyout package. Rather than
promoting form the lower ranks, council decided to fill all three positions with qualified candidates
from large municipal corporations in the region. The following year several long-term managers left
Hillton, and at least half of those positions were filled by people from outside the organization.
In less than two years Hillton had eight senior or departmental managers hired from other
municipalities who played a key role in changing the organizationâs value system. These eight
8
9. The Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies
SUBJECT: Organizational Behavior Marks:100
managers became known (often with negative connotations) as the âprofessionals.â They worked
closely with each other to change the way middle and lower-level managers had operated for many
years. They brought in a new computer system and emphasized cost controls where managers
previously had complete autonomy. Promotions were increasingly based more on merit than seniority.
These managers frequently announced in meetings and newsletters that municipal employees must
provide superlative customer service, and that Hillton would become one of the most customer-
friendly places for citizens and those doing business with the municipality. To this end these managers
were quick to support the publicâs increasing demand for more soft services, including expanded
library services and recreational activities. And when population growth flattened for a few years, the
city manager and the other professionals gained council support to lay off a few outside workers due to
lack of demand for hard services.
One of the most significant changes was that the outside departments no longer held dominant
positions in city management. Most of the professional managers had worked exclusively in
administrative and related inside jobs. Two had Master of Business Administration degrees. This led to
some tension between the professional managers and the older outside managers.
Even before the layoffs, managers of outside departments resisted the changes more than others.
These managers complained that their employees with the highest seniority were turned down for
promotions. They argued for more budget and warned that infrastructure problems would cause
liability problems. Informally these outside managers were supported by the labor union representing
outside workers. The union leaders tried to bargain for more job guarantees, whereas the union
representing inside workers focused more on improving wages and benefits. Leaders of the outside
union made several statements in the local media that the city had âlost its heartâ and that the public
would suffer from the actions of the new professionals.
Question:
1. Contrast Hilltonâs earlier corporate culture with the emerging set of cultural values.
2. Considering the difficulty in changing organizational culture, why did Hilltonâs management
seem to be successful at this transformation?
3. Identify two other strategies that the city might consider to reinforce the new set of corporate
values.
9
10. The Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies
SUBJECT: Organizational Behavior Marks:100
managers became known (often with negative connotations) as the âprofessionals.â They worked
closely with each other to change the way middle and lower-level managers had operated for many
years. They brought in a new computer system and emphasized cost controls where managers
previously had complete autonomy. Promotions were increasingly based more on merit than seniority.
These managers frequently announced in meetings and newsletters that municipal employees must
provide superlative customer service, and that Hillton would become one of the most customer-
friendly places for citizens and those doing business with the municipality. To this end these managers
were quick to support the publicâs increasing demand for more soft services, including expanded
library services and recreational activities. And when population growth flattened for a few years, the
city manager and the other professionals gained council support to lay off a few outside workers due to
lack of demand for hard services.
One of the most significant changes was that the outside departments no longer held dominant
positions in city management. Most of the professional managers had worked exclusively in
administrative and related inside jobs. Two had Master of Business Administration degrees. This led to
some tension between the professional managers and the older outside managers.
Even before the layoffs, managers of outside departments resisted the changes more than others.
These managers complained that their employees with the highest seniority were turned down for
promotions. They argued for more budget and warned that infrastructure problems would cause
liability problems. Informally these outside managers were supported by the labor union representing
outside workers. The union leaders tried to bargain for more job guarantees, whereas the union
representing inside workers focused more on improving wages and benefits. Leaders of the outside
union made several statements in the local media that the city had âlost its heartâ and that the public
would suffer from the actions of the new professionals.
Question:
1. Contrast Hilltonâs earlier corporate culture with the emerging set of cultural values.
2. Considering the difficulty in changing organizational culture, why did Hilltonâs management
seem to be successful at this transformation?
3. Identify two other strategies that the city might consider to reinforce the new set of corporate
values.
9