Action alternatives for the scenario: (Conflict structures) Please evaluate each

Question

Action alternatives for the scenario: (Conflict structures)

Please evaluate each of the following courses of action, by showing the positive or negative sides of each one, and indicate which one is the best:

1. You go along with Kathy Gordon’s view and advise Jane Wilson to select either accounting or finance as a major for her MBA.

2. You decide to withdraw from the situation completely and tell Jane to work it out with Kathy Gordon on her own.

3. You decide to take the matter to those in higher management levels and argue forcefully for your point of view. You do everything in your power to ensure that a decision will be made in your favor.

4. You decide to meet Kathy Gordon halfway in order to reach an agreement. You advise Jane to pursue her MBA in accounting or finance, but also recommend she minor in organizational behavior by taking electives in that field.

5. You decide to work more closely with Kathy Gordon by attempting to get a clear as well as flexible policy written that reflects both of your views. Of course, this will require a significant amount of your time.

SCENARIO 1 SETTING: You are a manager of a division in the accounting department of a large eastern U.S. bank. Nine exempt-level analysts and six nonexempt clerical staff reports to you Recently, one of your analysts, Jane Wilson, has sought the bank's approval for tuition reimbursement for the cost of an evening MBA program specializing in organizational behavior. The bank normally encourages employees to seek ad- vanned degrees on a part time basis. Indeed, through your encouragement, nearly all of the members of your staff are pursuing additional schoolwork. You consult the bank's policy manual and discover that two approvals are necessary for reimbursement yours and that of the manager of training and development, Kathy Gordon. Further, the manual states that approval for reimbursement will only be granted if the coursework is "reasonably job related." Based on your review of the matter, you decide to approve Jane's request for reimbursement However, Kathy Gordon rejects it outright by claiming that course- work in organizational behavior is not related to an accounting analyst position. She states that the bank will only reimburse the analyst for a degree in either accounting or finance. In your opinion, however, the interpersonal skills and insights to be gained from a degree in organizational behavior are job-related and can also benefit the employee in future assignments. The analyst job requires interaction with a variety of individuals at different levels in the organization, and it is important that interpersonal and communication skills be strong After further discussion, it becomes clear that you and Kathy Gordon have opposite views on the mat- ter. Since both of you are at the same organization level and have equal status, it appears that you are at an impasse. Although the goal of reimbursement is important, you are faced with other pressing demands on your time. In addition, the conflict has diverted the attention of your work group away from its primary responsibilities. Because the school term is about to begin, it is essential that you and Kathy Gordon reach a timely agreement to enable Jane to pursue her coursework

Explanation / Answer

To break the complex process, we shall contain the above situation within the conflict triangle and evaluate alternative scenarios.

1) and 2) Resolves the arguement from the higher organizational level and the person involved (You) do not hold responsibility in the field of changes. In situation 1) Jane is left with a closure although and Kathy's parameters are met with, and in situation 2) Jane has the option to talk to Kathy with low probability of changin the situation. In terms of power dynamics, both 1) and 2) offer the same ground of discourse.

In situation 3) You get involved with the act, and the power dynamics become fluid. Here you take the matter to higher authorities which might help Jane, but shall hurt Kathy's ego, which shall affect Your relationship with Kathy in the long run. This might also affect Jane's relationship with Kathy.

4) is the best suggestive alternative, since it meets the prejudice parameters of both the external parties involved, and calls for a middle gorund. It has the lowest risk and highest benefits in terms of maintaing relationships, and improving or developing work ethos.

5) is again a scenario of choice which shall take a lot of Your time, without higher probablity of positive outcome.

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