Organizational Behaviour Case Study

1. FACULTY OF BUSINESS, ECONOMICS AND ACCOUNTANCY
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
SECTION 2
SEMESTER 1 2017/2018
BM6013 MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
LECTURER: DR. TINI MAIZURA MOHTAR
GROUP CASE STUDY: THE FIJIAN EXPERIENCE-THE TAU
RELATIONSHIP
NAME MATRIC NUMBER
MOHD SHAFIQ MARICAN BIN ARIFFIN MB1712400T
MOHD TAUFIQ SAADUDIN BIN JAUDIN MB1712401T
RACHEL ANAK NOEID MB1712411T
ROSEDIANA ENORA WELSERD MB1712416T
SHERLEEN ELEANORE CHRISTIANUS NG MB1712421T

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 CASE SUMMARY.............................................................................................1
2.0 PROBLEM STATEMENT ...................................................................................2
2.1 employees’ attitude.....................................................................................2
2.2 Mix up of the local custom and practices with the company’s work ethics. ......2
2.3 Major problem statement ............................................................................2
3.0 ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES ............................................................................3
3.1 Issue immediate termination order to Salome Suacake..................................3
3.2 Conduct a domestic inquiry..........................................................................3
3.3 Improve leadership capabilities....................................................................4
4.0 EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES ..................................................6
5.0 THE BEST STRATEGY AND JUSTIFICATION ................................................... 11
6.0 Implementation............................................................................................ 13
6.1 Short term Implementation ....................................................................... 13
6.2 Long Term Implementation ....................................................................... 14
7.0 Reference .................................................................................................... 15

3. 1
1.0 CASE SUMMARY
The Shangri-La Fijian Resort has a really strong goodwill. They managed to
keep it up for more than 30 years and still going strong today. As for the FIJIAN
Hotel, it comprises a total of 450 rooms, with about 800 employees. Among the 800
employees, majority of them are indigenous Fijian, and there are even family ties
that existed among the local employee. Some even have three generation worked
under the company.
The case study entitled “The Fijian Experience – The Tau Experience” is about
the dilemma faced by the American expatriate owner- general manager of the Fijian
Shangri-La Resort in Fiji, located at Yanuka Island (FIJIAN Hotel), named Brett
Taylor, whereby he needs to take some extra careful actions on dealing the sensitive
issues that arose in the company. The sensitive issue was related to the local custom
and practices.
However, the whole situation got even more complicated when Mr Brett has
to decide what to do with one of the company’s best asset, which is Moala. Moala is
a good employee, because he is talented, and has shown a lot of his dedication
while he was working with the company. Got sponsored by the FIJIAN to study in
Switzerland and when he got back to his own country he has to serve the FIJIAN by
taking the position as one of the executive in the 5 star international hotel group.
But what Moala did has tarnished his reputation in the company. He let Solome took
the money that doesn’t belong to her.
The whole incident begins with Salome was caught re-handed, stealing the
company’s money for the purpose of building a church. All this while, Moala just
ignored what Salome did, because Salome was his Tau. A Tau relationship is a
person committed by their ancestors to support the other. Due to Moala knew the
incident but all this while he just ignored it, hence, by right Moala will have to be
terminated from the company too, but, because Moala was a good employee, hence
Brett Taylor fell into dilemma whether to terminate Moala or keep him, as Moala doe
show good reputation in the company.

4. 2
2.0 PROBLEM STATEMENT
From the case study, there are a few problems that have been identified:
2.1 Employees’ attitude
Salome was a good employee for the first two month of working. On the third
month working, she was caught red-handed by the general manager, Mr Brett
Taylor, where she stole the company’s money from the customer. She did so
because she wants to use the money to build a church in her village. Then Moala, all
this while knew she stole money from the customer but did not lodge any report
about it. He just ignores the whole incident.
2.2 Mix up of the local custom and practices with the company’s
work ethics.
Due to bound by the local custom, whereby Moala’s ancestors owed Salome’s
ancestors debt, thus, there is a Tau relationship between the two of them. Because
of such relationship, it has prevented Moala from lodging a report regarding Salome
stealing money from the customer.
2.3 Major problem statement
To summarize all the problems occurred in this case study, we can say that,
due to the Mix up of the customs and practices with the work ethics, hence it leads
the employee does the money stealing from the customers.

5. 3
3.0 ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES
3.1 Issue immediate termination order to Salome Suacake.
As a matter of fact, taking money from customers for church financing is still
considered as stealing thus those who condone such act must be punished. Stealing
in a sense that she did not ask permission nor being granted for funding the church
building using the company’s money. Ethically, to use company’s money for
corporate social responsibility, one should prepare a comprehensive proposal plan
for funding approval, not simply treating the company’s money as if it is your
money. Failing to do so means it is an act of stealing and dishonest. If Salome
Suacake is proved to be the culprit behind the crime, she must be terminated
immediately rather than giving a warning letter. A warning letter or order is mostly
meant for the minor wrongdoings such as absenteeism and performed poor
performances. Issuing immediate termination order to Salome Suacake may become
a clear message to all employees that stealing is part of breaching the company’s
policy, work ethics and could tarnished company reputations so this crime should not
happen again in the Shangri-La Fijian Resort and any other industries. Ethically,
stealing is a crime, if Salome is found guilty, Brett Taylor should not feel hesitate to
lodge a police report against her. Put aside the Fijian customs and the Tau
relationship between Moala and Salome and consider the amount of money stealing
as a serious business crime against working ethics. Plus, keeping the money which
customers paid for their meals is part of the company sales so she may be put
behind bars for stealing company’s money that always meant to pay employees’
salaries, purchasing raw materials and others, not for funding church. The company
may fund the church building with a proper documentation to pursue corporate
social responsibility.
3.2 Conduct a domestic inquiry
Generally, it is important to know that no employees should be dismissed for
misconduct unless the employee concerned has been given a chance to be heard or
a chance defend himself/herself. Therefore, Brett Taylor can conduct a domestic

6. 4
inquiry to allow Moala Tukana to properly defend himself hence assists him to decide
whether the misconduct was committed and what sort of punishment should be
conducted. In this case, Moala can be defended by labour law except if he partnered
with Salome to steal the money together then his act is for sure would not be
forgiven and should be filed as police case. He can be accepted to continue service
with condition stating that he must not repeat the same mistakes in the future, if he
admitted with solid proof that he did not accomplice with Salome to steal the money.
Meaning, Brent Taylor should not consider that the crime is a forgiven thing only
because Salome is Moala’s Tau and he also must be a strict assistant manager and
treat Salome and other employees equally. In order to defend himself, Moala should
explain the incident to the management to enable the police to file a case for court
decision.
3.3 Improve leadership capabilities
There is a need to improve leadership capabilities by comprehending how
leaders adapt in the changing environments. Brett Taylor needs to improve
understanding of legitimate hybrid leadership in facilitating organizational change
and development particularly among indigenous Fijians where this tribes are
culturally sensitive as they experienced a changing cultural perspective of their social
reality due to advanced political and economic reforms. Brent Taylor should realize
that recruiting the right people and nurturing them in Shangri-La culture is an
important part of developing a unified workforce. In this case, human resource
department of Shangri-La could follow Hong Kong Disneyland recruiting style by
hiring for attitude, not aptitude. Because qualifications and educational levels is not
the perfect measurement to hire qualified employees because many employers
believe that attitude problem is not about the working quality but how a person can
behave and act professionally towards the job assigned. To him, Moala is a definite
asset to the resort and a potential leader since he was the only person graduated
from the best university so his leadership style should reflect from what he had
learned from the University of Switzerland but Brett Taylor should not favour him
entirely only because he was educationally sponsored by the company. Moala must

7. 5
learn not to mix up tribe practices with work ethics. That means, Moala should not
take into Tau relationship with Salome one side decision without considering the
business ethics. By doing so, people like Salome would not take advantage of Moala
easily in the name of Tau. Therefore, Brett should let Moala knows that he is really
appreciating Moala working efforts.

8. 6
4.0 EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES
(a) Fired Salome Suacake
It may seems hard for Mr Brett Taylor to fire Salome, as the reasoning for
why she stole is to fund the church in her village ,also from that she showed a
good performance during her two months working at resort. As a fair and wise,
owner-manager he has he has to make a decision to fire Salome as by law that is
a mandatory decision in this case. Embezzlement or stealing is the most sensitive
an big issue to any organization that requires a trustworthy, honesty and
integrity employees to work for them for the sake of the credibility and
performance of one organization so Mr Brett Taylor can’t afford to take a high
risk to give a chances to salome
Evaluation strategy (a):
Positive: Mr Brett will in any case have his right-gave assistant manager Maola, and
Moala can play out his work back on track as he is never again limited to the tie of
'Tau Relationship' with Salome. Other employees will look it as a lesson to be
educated not to take any preferred standpoint from their customary custom practice
in their work life to do such wrongdoing. Furthermore, Mr Brett Taylor won't lose his
validity as a decent and reasonable proprietor administrator in tackling this culturally
diverse administration issue.
Negative: A portion of the workers may judge the choice of Mr Brett Taylor as
being uncalled for particularly from the Hotel Union Staff s as they are advanced for
the benefit of Salome. Then on benefit on Salome, she may have an issue in looking
through her future profession in inn industry especially in view of her terrible
notoriety of her extortion wrongdoing.
(b) Formal Verbal & Written Warning to Salome Suacake
Stealing is a major heinous offence for all association regardless of what
reason they give for taking. For Salome's case, since in past record she has great

9. 7
execution and taught she ought to have a one more shot in proceeding with her
activity in FIJIAN. Mr Brett Taylor needs to converse with Salome and influence her
to comprehend that her conduct isn't acknowledged and isn't right. A genuine
decent clarification and advising to Salome is required for she needs to realize that
Mr Brett Taylor is not kidding in issuing her notice so she should not rehash a similar
mix-up and needs to influence things to ideal for a given time. A probation ought to
be actualized to administer Salome's conduct and execution and she ought to be
ended .at whatever point she rehashes a similar wrongdoing.
Evaluation Strategy (b):
Positive: Employees will know about their obligation and won't blend their own
issue and work matter. The administration will likewise mindful of their staff
practices now and again to keep away from things happened once more. A
deferential and holding is expanded between the administration and staffs and will
make a superior execution in their work environment.
Negative: Indeed, even Salome has gotten another opportunity, however she has
made a terrible record execution for herself from the administration record and is
awful for her future profession on the off chance that she plans to change her
vocation Despite her reason of taking is for the benefit of Church yet at the same
time other association will have questions to acknowledge her in view of put stock in
issues.
(c) Disciplinary Action towards Moala Tukana
Moala Tukana ought to be suspended for a timeframe as he as the director
and associate chief is likewise has been gotten out of hand for not making any move
towards Salome even he realized that Salome is doing wrongdoing. This will
demonstrate that the administration is not kidding in dealing with their staffs wrong
doing particularly in extortion. Staff s should realize that misrepresentation is an
intense issue and ought not be disregarded must be made a move for good and
lesson for other staff s. In the meantime, administration should begin on another

10. 8
'Set of accepted rules' of FIJIAN that is no damage and touchy customary custom
ought to be hone in the association. Since FIJIAN has other connection inn situated
at different places in Fiji, Moala ought to be send there after his suspension and
work there for a timeframe. FIJIAN administration likewise needs to postpone
Moala's advancement as a Manager; after all he should pay for his activity.
Evaluation Strategy (c):
Positive: By suspending Moala, the notable great leader and staff, it would be an
eye opener to other staff s that the administration is treating their workers
reasonable and square accordingly it would be a decent lesson for each one not to
rehash a similar error even limited by the neighbourhood custom conviction.
Negative: This strategy would some point would hurt Moala's execution record in
FIJIAN and it is hard for him to pick up the administration's trust towards him. He
needs to buckle down after the suspension to demonstrate his validity back on track
and not effortlessly in hence by the demonstration of their conventional nearby
custom practice. Then again, FIJIAN will lost their best man that handles a large
portion of the circumstance amid Moala's suspension period and his movement of
work environment later.
(d) Make Moala Tukana & Salome Suacake pay for the loss
Mr Brett Taylor must make them both pay back all the aggregate sum stole
by Salome. It is their blame at first for the acting mischievously wrongdoing as the
'Tau relationship' made them. Indeed, even Moala was not the person who stole the
cash but rather as a result of he is Salome's 'Tau' and his noiseless activity on
Salome's wrongdoing so he too might pay for the misfortune together with Salome.
In any case, the payback strategy does not imply that they need to pay back all in
singular amount. It should be possible by cutting o their compensation consistently
until the point that it is settled. In accordance with that, to make them not to rehash
a similar misstep, they might not be given any reward or tips and in addition stipend
for that year accordingly of their mischief and wrongdoing. This ought to be

11. 9
recollected and mindful by the greater part of the staff.
Evaluation of strategy (d):
Positive: With this methodology, all the staff will prompt observe and be additional
mindful of their activities in light of the fact that over all nobody needs their
compensation, extra, tips and remittance to be cut o for the entire year. When the
moves had been made, all should realize that the extortion wrongdoing is intense
and ought not to happen again later on.
Negative: It will be hard for Salome and Moala to make due for one entire year
without no bonus tips and even recompense given in addition to with the slice or
compensation they need to confront in view of their trouble making towards the
organization. For Salome, she should need to leave from being the server there as
she couldn't deal with the anxiety and weight of paying all the misfortune as the
reason of wrongdoing she has done was not for herself but rather for the Church.
4.1 Overall Evaluation
The best strategy for this case would be from the strategy (a) which is firing
Salome Suacake. If we look further into other strategies especially suspending Moala
Tukana, it would only been for a period of time and Salome will still be there by the
time Moala comes back. No one knows if Salome might repeat her misbehaviour and
take advantage on Moala again because he is her ‘Tau’. After all, Mr Brett Taylor
cannot afford to lose Moala is he terminates him but take the risk of retain Salome in
the organization. Mr Brett Taylor has known Moala for a long time better than
Salome. Even if he gives Salome a second chance and make them pay the loss from
the crime she had done, it would be not enough for action taken as the nature of
people, we cannot guarantee that they will not repeat the same mistake again as we
know according to the custom the ‘Tau Relationship’ is unbreakable and between
Moala and Salome, Moala is much more precious to the organization.
Apart from that, by ring Salome the ‘Tau Relationship’ can be avoided and

12. 10
Moala would not be bounded and tied up anymore to Salome. It is good to re
Salome in her early phase of working in the organization because if they let her stay
it could be worst in the future, proven that she has no good work ethic and
responsibility when she involved Moala by taking advantage on him as her tau and
gave the excuse of her crime is for the Church building finance not for herself.
Last but not least, this incident will be treated as an eye opener and moral
values to the other staff s especially the indigenous Fijian to not repeat the same
mistakes by involving their local custom practice for their crime. Also they will not
have the courage to risk their job by doing silly crime and end up losing their job as
the management especially Mr Brett Taylor will not tolerate with that kind of mistake
as happened to Salome. This also shows that Mr Brett Taylor is a fair yet wise
owner-manager in solving this case matter.

13. 11
5.0 THE BEST STRATEGY AND JUSTIFICATION
The best strategy that can resolve the problems would be improving the
leadership capabilities especially the managers in the company. The dilemma Brett
Taylor facing was to give Moala second chance which is reemployed him but at the
same time make sure that such incidents of fraud will never happen again. Thus, in
this situation, Brett Taylor as a manager needs to use his leadership to make a
proper decision as a win-win situation. However, fraud is a serious crime and the
step to terminate Salome is actually a good decision. Meanwhile, giving disciplinary
action towards Moala for his unprofessional acts of Salome fraud, need to be done
as it shows that company is serious about the fraud issue.
The strategies in leadership that Brett Taylor can use make an appropriate
communication towards his employees, give training to employees, talk with the
communities about company policies, and do a cross-cultural leadership research.
Leadership is an ability for someone to influence or lead other persons, teams or
even organizations by doing a research area and practical skill that fit in certain
different situations. In this case, Brett Taylor supposed to increase the
communication between him and his employees, by doing that, he can actually
detect the problem before it becomes worse. Good communications among
employees can result in better understanding of their situations and problems that
employees were going through in their daily jobs. Brett Taylor can apply the
communication skills to improve the work performance of Moala in the future by
giving him a proper explanation the purpose Moala was given a second chance
through one-to-one conversation or better giving him a counseling session. Another
advantage of having a good communication in leadership is the managers can have
employee feedback and this feedback can be useful for him to identify any problems
that he may go through influenced by their internal and external environment. Moala
also needs to be given a compound from the unprofessional attitude that he present
that caused unethical practices happen to his employee.
Furthermore, since Moala has potential to become a good leader in the
future, and finding someone to replace his job can be a wasteful of money and time
for the company, thus, it is better for company to give training to their employees
about the work ethics, increasing the work performance by refreshing them their

14. 12
tasks, giving update about the company status and give motivation for them to be
outstanding employee by offering rewards. Training is appropriate to be done to
make sure that their workers alert and noticed that their tribe's practices cannot be
mix up with work ethics. Good leadership actually can make employees understand
the reasons why professionalism in work is needed without combining with their
traditional culture. Moreover, Brett Taylor can use his leadership to meet with
Moala's village elders and even Salome's elders villager to let them now that any
agreement between these two tribes cannot be practiced in the workplace. If the
tribes have problems, they should do it among them without including the company
or disturbing the company professionalism.
In this case, indeed required Brett Taylor to have a cross-cultural leadership
to help him enhancing knowledge at various levels including employee management.
He can understand the proper cross-cultural leadership by doing research.

15. 13
6.0 Implementation
Implementation of the best strategy can be divided into a short term and long term
categories.
6.1 Short term Implementation
a) Disciplinary action towards Moala and Salome
Moala must be given verbal warning regarding his misconduct for not taking
any action toward Salome even though he knew what Salome did was wrong. At
the same time human resource department has to issue out a warning letter as
per company policy to Moala and he must be suspended from his work for a
period of time. Even though the best strategy is to improve leadership
capabilities of Moala, however Salome on the other hand must be terminated.
There is no guarantee that she will not repeat what she did. The reason Salome
steals is to help funding of church in her village but that does not mean stealing
is the way. Stealing is one of the big and very sensitive issues in any
organization, so that the right action must be taken to be a lesson to other staff
and to show that the organization is serious in managing the wrongdoing of staff.
b) Give counseling and advice to Moala
Moala originally is a good staff but because of his ‘Tau’ relationship with
Salome make him did the wrong decision. Moala must be given counseling
regarding to his misconduct for abetting the crime did by Salome. Mr. Brett
Taylor or the human resource manager has to talk to Moala and make him
understand what he did was wrong and totally unaccepted in the organization. A
real good explanation and counseling must be given to Moala so that he realize
what he did was wrong and he will not repeat the same mistake again in the
future. This also will show the other staff that the organization is treating their
staff fair and square.

16. 14
6.2 Long Term Implementation
a) Improvement on code of conduct
The code of conduct of the resort must be revised and improved regarding the
ethics. All staff must be given explanation on the code of conduct and work ethics
that they must follow. In the amended code of conduct, the organization must
highlight there is no local traditional custom which give negative effects will be
practiced in the organization. The staff also need to be informed that the
organization strictly enforced the code of conduct so that the staff will aware of it.
Furthermore, a work life balance should be included in the code of conduct as to
make sure work and personal beliefs were not mixed up by the staff in their
workplace.
b) Leadership training program
The management team of the resort lead by human resource department should
organize leadership training program to the staff especially executive staff to
improve their capability to be an excellent leader. An excellent leader must know
how to manage his or her team well and not mixing up work with personal matter.
This program will improve the leadership quality in each of the staff. Moala in this
case must learn how to manage people’s behavior professionally especially his
subordinates. This program will improve Moala’s knowledge and skills in facing
problems regarding the staff. It will help him act more ethically and professionally
than just simply follow their cultural beliefs.

17. 15
7.0 Reference
Buriata Eti-Tofinga, Heather Douglas, Gurmeet Singh, (2017) Influence of evolving
culture on leadership: a study of Fijian cooperatives, European Business Review,
Vol. 29 Issue: 5, pp.534-550,
Konopaske, R., Ivancevich, J.M., and Matteson, M.T. 2016 (Eleventh Edition).
Organizational Behaviour & Management. New York. McGraw-Hill Education.