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Case Study-Assignment

Bruce, a research chemist, wrote a dense report detailing new compounds synthesized from oil byproducts. Buried in the report was a speculation that one compound could be an effective insecticide. Seven years later, the company discovered Bruce's report while researching new insecticides. Tests confirmed the compound was safe and economical. Bruce had since left due to feeling his work was unappreciated. The key communication errors were the report's poor organization, burying the insecticide finding, and lack of emphasis on its potential. This caused seven years of lost revenue, duplication of research efforts, and loss of Bruce's expertise. Clear communication of findings, visual representations, effective information sharing, and recognizing employee work could

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Saurav Sínghañià
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26 views

Case Study-Assignment

Bruce, a research chemist, wrote a dense report detailing new compounds synthesized from oil byproducts. Buried in the report was a speculation that one compound could be an effective insecticide. Seven years later, the company discovered Bruce's report while researching new insecticides. Tests confirmed the compound was safe and economical. Bruce had since left due to feeling his work was unappreciated. The key communication errors were the report's poor organization, burying the insecticide finding, and lack of emphasis on its potential. This caused seven years of lost revenue, duplication of research efforts, and loss of Bruce's expertise. Clear communication of findings, visual representations, effective information sharing, and recognizing employee work could

Uploaded by

Saurav Sínghañià
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Case Study:

Examine the following case and answer the questions given below-

Bruce, a research chemist for a major petro-chemical company, wrote a dense report about
some new compounds he had synthesized in the laboratory from oil-refining by-products.
The bulk of the report consisted of tables listing their chemical and physical properties,
diagrams of their molecular structure, chemical formulas and data from toxicity tests. Buried
at the end of the report was a casual speculation that one of the compounds might be a
particularly safe and effective insecticide.
Seven years later, the same oil company launched a major research program to find more
effective but environmentally safe insecticides. After six months of research, someone
uncovered Bruce’s report and his toxicity tests. A few hours of further testing confirmed that
one of Bruce’s compounds was the safe, economical insecticide they had been looking for.
Bruce had since left the company, because he felt that the importance of his research was not
being appreciated.

1. Identify the communication error (poor task or audience analysis? Use of


inappropriate language or style? Poor organization or formatting of information?
Other?)
2. Explain what costs/losses were incurred by this problem.
3. Identify possible solutions or strategies that would have prevented the problem, and
what benefits would be derived from implementing solutions or preventing the
problem.

Answer….

**1. Identification of Communication Error**

The communication error in Bruce’s report can be classified as a combination of poor


organization and formatting of information, along with a lack of emphasis on the
potential applications of his findings.

**Poor Organization and Formatting:** The report’s dense structure, with a bulk of
technical data and Bruce’s speculation buried at the end, made it difficult to identify
the key finding.
**Lack of Emphasis:** Bruce’s casual speculation about the insecticide potential
failed to adequately highlight the significance of his discovery. A more prominent
presentation of this finding would have drawn attention to its potential value.

**2. Costs and Losses Incurred**

The communication error resulted in several costs and losses for the company:

 **Lost Opportunity:** The company missed out on seven years of potential


revenue and market advantage from the insecticide.

 **Duplication of Effort:** The company spent six months and resources on a


research program that could have been avoided if Bruce’s findings had been
effectively communicated.

 **Loss of Expertise:** Bruce left the company due to a lack of recognition for his
work, depriving the company of his knowledge and expertise.

**3. Possible Solutions and Strategies**

Several solutions and strategies could have prevented this problem and derived
significant benefits:

 **Clear and Concise Communication:** Bruce could have clearly and concisely
stated the potential insecticide properties of the compound in the report's summary
or introduction.

 **Visual Representation:** The inclusion of a visual representation, such as a


graph or chart, highlighting the compound's low toxicity and effectiveness as an
insecticide would have made the information more impactful.

 **Effective Communication Channels:** The company could have established


effective communication channels to capture and share research findings across
departments, ensuring that important discoveries don’t go unnoticed.

 **Recognition and Appreciation:** Recognizing and appreciating the value of


Bruce’s work could have encouraged him to stay with the company and continue
contributing his expertise.

Implementing these solutions would have prevented the loss of a valuable discovery,
saved the company time and resources, and retained valuable employee expertise.
Name – Saurav Kumar
Section – MBA V7

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