Case Analysis in Management - Essay Example

As the manager, she was supposed to handle all managerial functions including inventory. She compounded the problem by paying her assistant more money than any of the other employees at the store. Ruth did not have the foresight to realize that the move could cause morale problems among the staff of the store.

Ken Hoffman seemed very disappointed at a lot of decisions that Ruth was making. His perception was that Ruth’s poor performance as a manager was reflecting badly on him because he was the person that appointed her for the job. Ken made some mistakes along the way and he violated various empowerment guidelines. One of the empowerment guidelines that Ken violated was self-determination or choice. Ruth arranged on her own a TV slot where she could showcase the store and its products. Her initiative seemed like a great move for the store. Ken reprimanded Ruth and told her that she made a bad decision by taking that initiative since she was supposed to clear with the corporate office any TV appearances. The second empowerment guideline that was violated by Ken was trust. When Ruth followed company policy and disallowed a customer to purchase $1,000 Ken insulted Ruth which made no sense since she was following company policy as indicated by Ken in earlier incidents.

The decision about determining the best portfolio and investment recommendations for the company should not be made by me alone because my knowledge and skills are limited to bonds. There is a team in place that can help me determine the best course of action in the selection process of equity investments. The knowledge this group possesses is imperative to the success of the project. The reason that this decision is harder than it seems is that in the past these four employees have had problems working together and agreeing on decisions. As the person responsible for the report I must provide the leadership necessary to make this work. One of the initial techniques that should be used to gather ideas is a brainstorming session. Because I have a six-week deadline I am in a good position to find a solution promptly. The group should meet for at least one hour every day until the project is completed. Good communication and cooperation are essential to complete the project successfully. It would be an error to make this decision without the help of my team. In the corporate world, individualism is a fad that is no longer acceptable. Employees that want to do everything by themselves are bound to fail. The best way to offset one's weaknesses is by surrounding yourself with other colleagues that have skills, capabilities, and knowledge that can add a lot of value to a company.