Part 1

Qns. 1(a) What do you think should be the personality characteristics of the candidates
which would suit such a venture?

Ans. 1(a) Arpita would be looking for employees with below mentioned suitable
personality characteristic for her venture and the Big Five Model would be suitable to her
team: -
(1). Openness to Experience: As we know people with this trait tend to be
intellectually curious, creative and imaginative. These all qualities are very important
for the candidate Arpita looking for her venture:

 Candidate being curious, eager to find out answers, explore and learn
new things, this is the quality which every company want in their employees.
Candidate’s strong urge to explore, and discover will help in growth of
Arpita’s start-up venture.

 Creative and Artistic are the important and basic characteristic

required in candidate for a gifting company. Creative and innovative ideas
with artistic view will help in creating unique and different products or gifts.
As Arpita’s start-up venture would requires uniqueness in product to settle in
the market place.

 Candidates with imaginative characteristics emerge with bigger goals.

Imagining a goal is very first step to the success. Imagining, believing and
chasing their goals are further step, which motivate imaginative people for
success which is again very fruitful for Arpita’s company.

(2). Conscientiousness: Candidates with this trait are hardworking, self-

disciplined and responsible. Companies required candidate with this trait for strong
workplace culture so do Arpita’s required too.

(3). Extraversion: Candidates with extraversion trait are characterized by

warmth, positivity, gregariousness and excitement seeking. For positive and happy
workplace culture Arpita also required this characteristic in the candidate.

(4). Agreeableness: Cooperative, caring, trust worthy and good natured are
the trait of these type of people. It affects the higher performance and Lower levels of
deviant behaviour of this type of candidate. For company growth Arpita required these
types of candidates as employees.

(5). Emotional Stability: Candidates with this trait are calm in nature, secured,
happy and unworried. These types of candidates are fewer negative thinkers which
create lower stress level environment which will increase productivity and help Arpita
to create a team of strong and more productive employees.
Qns. 1(b). What are the ways in which she could motivate her employees to give their
100% to the job?

Ans. 1(b). As we know every person have their own needs and wants which further
motivate them to meet their goal or satisfy their needs. For company growth and also for
nurturing employee to give their 100% to the job. As per evolution of the motivational
theories Arpita shall follow below mentioned steps based on Herzberg’s and Self Determination
Theories.

Motivation Factor:
(1). Arpita may help their employees to realise their potential, not only for
company growth but also for their own nourishment which in turn
motivate employees to be loyal to the company and show dedication
towards their job.

 Offering them with challenging projects.

 Facilitate opportunities for learning and training.
 She shall explain the purpose of business and their role which will
help and motivate them to understand their importance in the
company.
(2). Simultaneously she shall also develop a strong and welcoming
workplace culture which further motivate employees to retain in the
company.

 She shall engage employees in some group activities to build strong

relation among them.
 Create effective and efficient communication amongst employees.
 Appreciation for group is also important.

(3). She shall also make the employees to feel valued and accountable for
the job done, by appreciating and offering them individually in the
following ways: -

 Incentives
 Increment
 Verbal appreciation in front of peers
 Rewards

Hygiene Factor:
(1). Arpita has to understand the need or want of the employee apart from
their basic needs and a competitive salary.

(2). She shall provide the good working condition to her employees.

 She should be enthusiastic and feed off positive energy to her

employee.
 She should be transparent with her team so that they can ask
question and give feedback.

(3). Create a healthy competition among employees which motivate them

to explore new ideas and experiment them. She shall listen to their
ideas and perception and also guide them to implement those ideas.

(4). She shall encourage and support her employees to create a strong and
good relation with her which will be long lasting and beneficial for
company.

(5). Company’s policies should be flexible in order to incorporate the

individual skills and their needs and wants.

(6). She should also prioritize work-life balance of employee which yields
increased productivity and overall happiness in the workplace.
Competence:
(1). She should show confidence in her employee by giving them freedom to
be creative in their own way while doing the task so that they feel to
perform the task well, feel competent and motivated to do the task.

(2). She also may facilitate her employees with training & learning in order
to make them competent enough, so that they can be involved in
decision making.

Autonomy:
(1). She should set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic &
Time bound) goals to their employees.

(2). She should give targets to her employees but allow them to decided
how to achieve those targets.

(3). She should provide a comfortable zone to her employees, so that they
can perform to best of their abilities.

Relatedness:
(1). She should connect with her employees socially by conducting various
social activities so that employees would feel self of belongingness in
the company.

(2). Help to create effective and efficient communication amongst

employees.
Qns. 1 (c) Additionally, what influenced her decision to open such an organization and
was it a programmed or a non-programmed decision?
Ans. 1 (c) Though Arpita was doing her job in marketing, her inclination was more
towards her passion. Arpita started making creative gifts such as soft toys etc. Arpita’s gifts
were so creative that they were appreciated by her family members and friends. This
resulted in to creation of self-confidence and motivation to start her own firm. Not only
that, she realized that there are many other people like her (may be colleagues) who have
the creativity in them but could not explore because of lack of opportunities. So, she
decided to start a firm “Give yourself a Gift” where one shows their creativity by producing
unique products.
The Decision taken by Arpita is a Non-Programmed decision as these are new
and complex decisions which require creative solutions.
For starting her own firm, she should possess ENTJ (Extraversion, Intuiting,
Thinking, Judging) and ESTJ (Extraversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judging) personality skills as
these types of personalities are visionaries, determined and able to drive their own ideas
and creativity.
 PART-2

QNS. 1 What kind of power does Manit’s Boss have?

ANS. 1 Manit’s boss was on superior position in the organisation. His boss was
holding positional power: the positional power is given to person who holds some position
in the organisation to ensure that people under him/her work together with one another to
achieve the goals of the organization. The three main bases of positional power include
legitimate power, reward power and coercive power. Manit's boss was holding all the
information specific the project and that gave him informational power also along with
positional power.

1. Positional Power: Manit’s boss influenced him by exercising the power of

position in the organization. However, this power was exercised in unsupportive way
with Manit to achieve goals. Manit’s boss underestimated the potential and capability
of Manit and didn’t give any sole responsibility to him, even Manit was not allowed to
be part of any decision making which impacts his work activity.

(a). Legitimate power:

 He was disrespecting him by not allowing him in meetings,

scolding him by doing work of his own without his permission and
sometimes not taking initiative.
 He was also demoralising him by complaining about his
performance and pin pointing his mistakes.
 Manit’s boss swayed away many a times whenever Manit
approached to his boss with some suggestions towards his work.

(b). Coercive power: Manit’s boss was using his coercive power by
forcing his pending work to him and demands to complete over the
weekends. Even not allowing him day off by imposing some urgent work on
him.

2. Informational Power: Manit’s Boss does not give him relevant

information until the last moment. Even information on the decision taken
which impact his work were not shared with him first hand.

QNS. 2 Is there any evidence of Office politics? How?

ANS. 2 Yes, there are evidences of office politics which had been exercised by Manit’s
boss.

(a). Bypassing: Manit was bypassed by his boss as he was never asked
to sit in meetings.

(b). Mental Harassment: Manit’s boss always looks for possible loopholes
for criticizing his work.
 (c). Blame Game: Manit was always blamed for the things which he had
not done viz. he never takes initiative the things by his own, his
performance is largely below than what expected from his boss.

(d). Pointing Finger: If any mistake done by Manit was more likely to
be pointed out by his boss curiously.

(e). Responsibility Avoidance: No responsibility had been provided to

Manit for his work it is clear evidence of responsibility avoidance and
dilution by his boss.

(f). Non sharing of information: Manit was not been shared relevant
information in time which hinders his work activity.

(g). Pending Works: His boss always foists off the pending work
during weekdays.

(h). No Suggestions: Not provided by any suggestion to Manit

whenever he looked for.

(i). Micromanagement: Manit was under micromanagement and

excessive control by his boss.

(j). Ignorance: Manit tried to raise his concern with HR Department.

However, his concern was unheeded.

(k). Leave Obligation: Whenever, Manit applies for a leave, his boss
digs out some urgent work for him preventing him from taking a leave.

(l). Complaining: Not supplying enough information required for work to

Manit and then complaining to him about his not at par performance.

QNS. (3) What kind of conflict do you think is happening between Manit and his boss
and why?
ANS. (3) Relational ship and inter-personal conflicts are happening between Manit
and his boss. In which both shared a bitter experience between them among various
instances.

(a). When Manit joined the company there was an occasion where his boss
had to sit with Manit for completion of report and this had created a
“first impression error” in the mind of his boss.

(b). Manit wanted to be responsible for his work but that is not provided by
his boss saying as he was inexperience in the work.

(c). Being a business development manager, he wanted to be part of

decision making, however, this facility was also provided only partially.
 (d). Manit’s boss was expecting consultation from him by Manit which didn’t
happen.

(e). Manit’s boss didn’t shared relevant information with Manit on timely
basis which is again cause of conflict between them.

(f). Pending work is foisting off to Manit by his boss on weekends.

(g). Not granting leave for Manit whenever he requested for it.

(h). Manit’s boss was doing micromanagement and trying to control him
excessively.

QNS. (4) Do you think Manit is a team player? Why or why not?

ANS. (4) As we know that a team player is someone who actively contributes to their
group in order to complete tasks, meet goals or manage projects. Team players actively
listen to their co-workers, respect ideas and aim to improve the product or process at hand.
A team player needs to have below listed qualities and characteristics:
 Clear understanding of roles in team.
 Welcomes collaboration with in the team.
 Holds his/him accountable.
 Committed to the team.
 Flexibility.
 Positive attitude.
 Optimistic & future-focused.

From the case reference, the following facts can be inferred related to Manit:

1. Clear understanding of roles in team: Although Manit was well aware

of the “First Impression Error” and its negative impacts, he didn’t take first
assignment seriously. He did not understand the urgency of the first report and
his boss has to complete the report, which resulted into “First Impression Error”.
Manit was not having the clear understanding for his role in team.

2. Welcome collaboration within the team:

 Manit was loner without too many friends, although he was consulting his
old colleague Rajesh from previous company related to his tasks, but he
was not collaborating with the existing team. He did not understand the
dynamics of working with superiors or peers.

 Lack of communication and pro-activeness. He Didn’t understand the

urgency of project. He could have asked his boss about the urgency
or dead line.
3. Holds his/him accountable : We could not find any supportive references in
use case which helps us to conclude that Manit holds himself accountable. He
admitted his mistake related to his very first report during discussion with his
professor, but not with his boss immediately after committing the mistake. The
impact of “First Impression Error” would have been reduced a lot if Manit holds
himself accountable and would have convinced his boss to grant him the
opportunity in-order to prove himself.

4. Committed to the team: We could not find any supportive references in

the case which helps us to conclude that Manit was committed to the team. We
can clearly observe that there is communication gap between him and his team,
Manit is not mingled with the team.

5. Flexibility: Manit was not flexible, he was Impatient, expecting immediate

feedback and did not understand the dynamics of working with his superiors or
peers. Although he was working over weekends but it seems that it was against
his will. He was forced by his boss to work over the weekends.

6. Positive attitude: Manit was not having positive attitude with his superior
& peers. Below are highlights in support that he was not having positive
attitudes:

 Mostly his Boss imposes the pending work during the weekends on
Manit, so he works over weekends.
 Manit felt that he will get more responsibilities as a manager, but seems
to be just another follower, doing tasks for other Managers.
 Manit’s opinion about himself: that he was at his wits end and he was
under extreme stress. His colleagues are of no help and they feel that he
works extra to impress his boss this shows lot of negativities in his
attitude.
 Manit’s colleague have started to isolate Manit from their discussion. It
seems that team members are worried about negative Peer Pressure by
Manit.

7. Optimistic & future-focused: Manit was quite optimistic and future focused
during his MBA.

 Manit always wanted to be a Business Development Manager & got

selected in his dream company “LMC Consulting” the leader in consulting
business.
 Manit was topper in batch. Very sharp & completed his work on time.

Manit was no more optimistic & future-focused after getting into his dream
job.

 After completion of MBA, Manit was looking for doing something

different as compared to what he was doing earlier. He couldn’t
assimilate the business requirement in his dream company. He was no
more optimistic & future-focused. He couldn’t earn the trust of his
manager and as well as his colleagues.
Summary: From the above analysis we can say that Manit was not having most of the
qualities & characteristic required for a team player. Although he has shown collaboration
and optimistic qualities up to some extent, but that’s not enough for Manit to be classified
as a team player. Hence, we conclude “Manit is not a team player”.