Essays.club - Get Free Essays and Term Papers
Search

Decision Case Studies

Autor:   •  February 15, 2018  •  3,807 Words (16 Pages)  •  496 Views

Page 1 of 16

...

“I don’t think anyone would argue with you on that point, Mr Stark,” Wilson agrees.

Wilson is extremely impressed with the position taken by his director of marketing and is in general agreement with it. He decides to take up Barbara Stark’s proposal at the next meeting of the board of directors and to strongly support it. In addition he sends a copy of the report to Dick Bryan, vice president of branch operation, along with a memo supporting the proposal and asking Bryan for additional ideas that he might have.

Five days later, Bryan asks to see Wilson concerning the report. What he has to say comes as a surprise.

Mr. Wilson, I have read carefully the report concerning ATs. Let me say that I am in total agreement with the philosophy of aggressive, consumer oriented banking that you have instilled into each of us at SNB, Certainly, we have been successful. I also agree that the concept of electronic banking is the wave of the future and support each of the benefits outlined in Ms. Stark’s report.

I see one potential problem, however in implementing any decision in this direction. It involves the dismissal of several tellers, First, from the standpoint of social responsibility, I do not think that this would be very responsible, and it might subject us to much criticism in the community, I can relate to how each of the tellers might feel, because I remember the late 1950s and what my family went through when my father’s plant was being automated. Maybe that experience has biased my thinking in this matter, but I feel it necessary to at least express it.

Second, this decision could create morale problems for the remaining tellers. As you know, I must work through all of these people, the branch managers, and the people in the branches. They are our contact with customers and as you have said many times.”I believe there is a potential problem here that was not addressed in Ms. Stark’s report. That is, what will the impact be on our branch manager and our branch personnel when they see their subordinates and peers being replaced by a machine?

Since branch operations is my area, I feel compelled to let my views be known, I know that the decision is not mine to make and that many other factors must be considered. In fact, I can’t say I disagree with the concept, but I do know that if we go with ATs, it will have to be implemented through my area.

That evening, Wilson thinks about what Bryan said. It is certainly something he has never considered, and it is good that Bryan brought it to his attention. He tosses around all the benefits, costs and problems associated with the decision. What position should he now take on the matter at the meeting of the board of directors? “Oh well,” he thinks, “I guess this is what I’m paid for, to make decisions like this.”

Questions

- Analyze this decision situation in terms of what you know about the decision-making process and the influences on it.

- If you were a consultant to the president, what would your advice be? Why?

---------------------------------------------------------------

Group Decision making at Longley University

Tom Madden slipped into his seat at the meeting of the faculty of the college of Business Administration of Longley University. He was 10 minutes late because he had come completely across campus from another meeting that had lasted 1 ¼ hours, “Boy!” he thought, “If all of these meeting and committee assignments keep up. I won’t have time to do anything else.”

“The next item of importance,” said the dean, “is consideration of the feasibility report prepared by the assistant dean, Dr. Jackson, for the establishment of our Latin American MBA program.”

“What’s that? Tom whispered to his friend Jim Lyon, who was sitting next to him.

“Ah, Professor Madden,” winked Lyon as he passed the 86 page report to Tom, “evidently you’ve not bothered to read this impressive document. Otherwise, you’d know.”

“Heck, Jim, I’ve been out of town for two weeks on a research project, and I’ve just come from another meeting.”

“Well, Tom,” chuckled Jim, “the report was circulated only three days ago to, as the dean put it, “ensure that we have faculty input into where the college is going.” Actually, Tom, I was hoping you had read it because then you could have told me what was in it,”

“Dr. Jackson,” said the dean, “Why don’t you present a summary of your excellent report on what I believe is an outstanding opportunity for our college, the establishment of an MBA program in Latin America.”

“Hey, Jim,” said Tom, “they’ve got to be kidding. We’re not doing what we should be doing with the MBA program we’ve got here on campus. Why on earth are we thinking about staring another one 3,000 miles away?”

Jim Shrugged. “Some friends of the dean’s or Jackson’s from down there must have asked them, I guess.”

While the summary was being given, Tom thumbed through the report. He noted that the college was planning to offer the same program that it offered in the United States. “Certainly,” he thought, “their students’ needs are different from ours,” He also noted that faculty were going to be sent from the United States on one-to three year appointments. “You would think that whenever possible they would seek local instructors who were familiar with the needs of local industry,” Tom thought. He concluded in his own mind, “Actually, why are we even getting involved in this thing in the first place? We don’t have the resources.”

When Jackson finished the summary, the dean asked, “Are there any questions?”

“I wonder how many people have had the time to read this report in three days and think about it,” Tom thought to himself.

“Has anybody thought through this entire concept?” Tom Spoke Up. “I mean ….”

“Absolutely, Professor Madden, surely you don’t question the efforts of Dr. Jackson and myself. Had you been here when this meeting started, you would know all bout our efforts. Besides, it’s getting late and we’ve got another agenda item to consider today, the safety and security of final examinations prior

...

Download:   txt (24 Kb)   pdf (73.7 Kb)   docx (23.2 Kb)  
Continue for 15 more pages »
Only available on Essays.club